One person died in their apartment after a violent fire that occurred in Saint-Raymond in Portneuf on Saturday morning, the Sûreté du Québec confirmed.
• Also read: Fires in Boisbriand and Rawdon: Four people die in their homes
According to our information, it is a man in his 70s who is well known to the residents and has lived in the area for a long time. The latter allegedly tried in vain to vacate his house.
Shortly before 6 a.m., the emergency services at Notre-Dame were called to intervene.
Photo provided by Mario Cloutier
However, the firefighters had the misfortune to notice the presence of a lifeless body while battling the flames.
Therefore, investigators will be on site after the fire service operations are completed to determine the causes and circumstances of this sad event.
PHOTO AGENCY QMI/GUY MARTEL
“It starts badly”
“We know everyone here and we are a well-coordinated community. This is the second fatal fire this week, so it's a sad start to the new year,” said Saint-Raymond Mayor Claude Duplain.
The mayor of Saint-Raymond, Claude Duplain / Photo credit: Nicolas St-Pierre
Last Wednesday, an 86-year-old man died after suffering severe burns from the wood stove he was trying to light.
The octogenarian was transported to hospital in critical condition. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead later that night.
Although she describes the events as very sad, the immediate neighbor says she is relieved because her small family may have been affected.
PHOTO AGENCY QMI/GUY MARTEL
The flames also spread to his garage, but his family home was spared.
“I didn't notice anything until 7 a.m. and that's when I saw the firefighters and the cloud of smoke. The damage was limited and we are glad we didn’t have to evacuate,” explains Sandy Blackburn.
A sixth in a short time
Four people died on Friday after their respective homes in Laurentians and Lanaudière fell victim to flames.
On the night of Thursday to Friday, a Rawdon resident contacted emergency services and reported that a fire had broken out in his home.
The fire of January 5th in Rawdon Photo agency QMI, Pierre Laurent
When firefighters arrived on scene, they discovered the fire had spread throughout the home. While putting out the flames, a firefighter came across the lifeless bodies of the residents of the apartment building.
Then, around 8:30 a.m., emergency responders were called to the Kiryas Tosh Hasidic Jewish community in Boisbriand because a fire had broken out in a home.
A 91-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were in the building at the time. They were taken to hospital where they were sadly pronounced dead.