Two men were injured when the ground floor of a renovated building collapsed on workers who were inside on Saturday afternoon in Montreal North, while one person was missing.
“We heard something like a strong earthquake. We went out immediately and there was a lot of dust everywhere,” said Jeremy Therrien, an employee at the Fortin Butcher Shop.
The young man was very frightened when the ground floor of a building next to the butcher shop collapsed shortly after 4 p.m. at the intersection of Boulevard Rolland and Rue Pascal.
“I heard a man calling a name in Spanish and crying. We immediately called emergency services,” he added.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
At the scene, the Montreal Fire Department (SIM) technical rescue team rescued two people trapped under the rubble. Two men were taken to hospital, one with serious injuries and the other with minor injuries.
“We were also in contact with two other people, but they refused transport to a hospital center,” explained François Beauregard, spokesman for Urgences-Santé.
A fifth person has still not been located by rescue workers.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
“We are securing the collapsed concrete slab to check that there are no other people inside,” said SIM department head Martin Guilbault early in the evening.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
Building under renovation
The event took place in a three-story building that had commercial space on the ground floor and ten residential units above. However, the building has been unoccupied since last year due to a fire. The windows of the shops were also all boarded up with wooden boards, Le Journal observed on site.
According to several area residents, renovations have been underway for several weeks.
Dominique Chartier, who also works at the butcher shop, immediately rushed into the building after hearing the big “boom”.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
Collapse of one floor of a building on the corner of Rolland and Pascal in Montreal North. Quebec, Canada. Saturday, September 23, 2023. In this photo: Dominque Chartier, who came to the aid of one of the victims. MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
“I tried to help a man who was lying under the concrete slab. But I couldn’t do it because his legs were stuck,” he said.
“I only saw his head and part of his body. “He looked like he was in pain,” said the butcher.
A few moments later, help arrived and took over.
Boulevard Rolland was closed to traffic between Rue Pascal and Rue Maurice-Duplessis to allow emergency services to work, who continued their search despite the darkness.