A commercial building in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood, which is believed to have housed a medical equipment distributor, was engulfed in flames in Montreal Monday night.
The intense fire broke out around 5:30 p.m. in the Pitfield Boulevard building off Highway 13.
When firefighters arrived, the fire had already spread to the roof, so the hundred or so firefighters deployed took a defensive stance and tried to stop the flames from spreading, explained Marie-Ève Beausoleil, department chief of the Montreal Fire Department.
Building fire – Pitfield and Thimens junction – Third alarm – Possible power failure. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/HIu3M4tmsX
— MTL Fire Protection (@MTL_SIM) January 23, 2023
The fire released a huge plume of smoke that was visible from miles away, adding to the flames that drew the attention of many motorists returning home.
Nobody had to be evacuated from the building. A firefighter was slightly injured in one eye during the operation, but was examined on site without being transported to the hospital, the spokesman said.
It was too early in the evening to know exactly where and why the flames erupted in the building.