Of all those examined, 82 are said to have been hospitalized and none of them were in life-threatening situations, according to the latest data from Urgences-santé around 8pm. On the island of Montreal, 54 patients were hospitalized for poisoning, compared to 28 in Laval.
In several cases, the gas was given off by charcoal grills that were lit in residential buildings to make up for the lack of electricity. In both Montreal and Laval, more than a quarter of households were still without power as of Friday afternoon.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, said Martin Guilbault, department chief of the Montreal Fire Department. This gas is undetectable.
The substance is dangerous because it can replace the oxygen in the blood.
A man was fatally poisoned in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac in the Laurentians on Friday, according to the Deux-Montagnes police department. This death is due to the use of a generator in a closed garage. Police found there was 20 times more CO2 in the air than normal.
Premier Francois Legault previously claimed it was a Saint-Eustache resident who grilled indoors.
emergencies under pressure
For its part, the Montreal Regional Directorate of Public Health (DRSPM) has about sixty reports on its territory. However, it should be noted that some interventions may not be counted yet.
According to the DRSPM, the situation in the neighborhoods of Lasalle, Montréal-Nord, Saint-Laurent, Ahuntsic and Pierrefonds is of particular concern.
“These poisonings are putting pressure on emergency rooms, some of which are over 200% occupied. »
— A quote from the Direction régionale de la santé publique de Montréal
It’s an exceptional situation. […] I’ve never seen so many cases being reported at the same time, said DRSPM’s Office of Emergency Response, Simon Bilodeau.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Public Security also tweeted a reminder of the importance of not using any fuel-burning equipment indoors, even if a power outage is ongoing.
If using a generator, placing it outside in a ventilated area and away from doors and windows was also recommended.
In the event of an extended cold-weather outage, check that your community has provided shelters you can go to to ensure your safety, the Quebec government added in a dedicated page on its website.
At the height of the crisis, more than a million Hydro Quebec subscribers have been plunged into darkness since Wednesday’s ice storm. On Friday around 10 p.m. the report showed around 300,600 customers without electricity.
Thousands of branches to collect
In Montreal, workers and park and road workers are being mobilized for the entire weekend to allow for a return to normal. More than 500 teams are in action day and night, said Philippe Sabourin, spokesman for the city.
“The face of several streets in the metropolis has really changed. It’s a big catastrophe. »
— A quote from Philippe Sabourin, spokesman for the city of Montreal
The priority at the moment is to remove the branches from the roads, in particular to allow the use of emergency vehicles. We unpacked the branches at the roadside. What remains to be done is a collection work, Mr. Sabourin specified.
The task will be colossal, according to the spokesman. We’re talking about hundreds of trees, thousands of branches. Much remains to be done. We don’t have an exact portrait, but we know we’ve had it for several days.
The parks of the metropolis are also closed for the second day in a row, Friday.
emergency centers
Several emergency centers are available for residents of Montreal and Laval to warm up and charge their electronic devices.
Montreal also opened six temporary shelters where it is possible to spend the night on Thursday evening. Two of them are in the municipality of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. The others are in Verdun, Saint-Léonard, Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension and Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
We invite everyone who doesn’t have electricity to come and use these centers, said Philippe Sabourin. […] We have hot food, coffee, tea. A little comfort is good.
The mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer, also announced that his city will open two centers where the population can sleep.
With information from The Canadian Press