A vacant commercial building owned by Montreal real estate giant Shiller Lavy Inc. went up in flames in Old Montreal on Friday evening, mobilizing more than 150 firefighters.
Updated yesterday at 10:52 p.m.
The Montreal Fire Safety Service (SIM) was notified of the situation around 8 p.m. The intensity of the fire quickly led to a series of alarms. As of 9:30 p.m., nearly 150 firefighters were still battling the flames, said Sylvain Jalbert, SIM department head.
More than half a dozen telescopic ladders were used to provide access to the roof of the structure, which was still emitting thick smoke late Friday evening.
No casualties were recorded among civilians or firefighters.
By midnight they had brought the flames under control, although the fire had not yet been officially declared “under control.” “There must be nothing left and we must have carried out our usual verification tests,” specifies Sylvain Jalbert.
The building on the corner of Notre-Dame Ouest and Saint-Henri was empty. According to the City of Montreal’s cadastral directory, it belongs to the Shiller Lavy Inc. group, a large real estate company in the metropolis.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
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Is it a criminal offense?
Several reasons can explain the intensity of the flames. If a crime is detected, the investigation will be referred to the Montreal City Police Department, explains Sylvain Jalbert, adding that we will probably have to wait “a while” before coming to that conclusion.
Several residents of neighboring buildings said they heard the sound of an explosion just before they had to evacuate their homes.
“I live on the 24th floor. I never hear anything, it’s always very quiet. But then there was a big “boom”. I later understood that it was related to this,” said Jia, who met her on the street while she was still waiting for news from the fire department to see if she could return to her house.
A video filmed by one of these residents and consulted by La Presse shows flames coming from the back of the building shortly after the fire broke out, prompting neighboring buildings to evacuate.
But the SIM could not confirm this information on Friday evening. However, spokesman Sylvain Jalbert clarified that the fire had reached the attic of the building when authorities arrived.
These recent events must have brought back sad memories for some area residents, as on the night of March 16, another major fire a few blocks away claimed seven lives and left many families in mourning.
The man suspected of setting this fire has a serious criminal past and was on the run after escaping from a prison at the time of the tragedy, La Presse revealed in a report published this week.