Three employees of Propane Lafortune are still missing in Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, the day after a fire in this small propane distribution company which caused a stir in the municipality. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), which has regained control of the scene, will provide an update later on Friday.
A heavy explosion was first heard – and felt – for miles around, Thursday around 11 a.m. A fire had spread through the company-owned propane depot, causing explosions. The building was completely destroyed.
Late Thursday evening, the SQ confirmed that at least three people were missing. Contacts have been initiated with the families of these three people, whose identity remains unknown for the moment.
The scene was handed over to fire and major crime investigators from the police force, who began preliminary searches “oriented towards the search for potential victims,” said Sergeant Éloïse Cossette. “We know that this expertise work will continue over several days, since it’s a big scene, and of course, we have to do a meticulous job. We will also have to deal with the weather conditions which could slow down our work, ”she added.
Two ministers from the Legault government are due to go to Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan on Friday to meet Mayor Sébastien Marcil and the authorities: the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, and the minister responsible for the Lanaudière region, Caroline Proulx. Rousseau’s local deputy, Louis-Charles Thouin, will also be on hand. “It is important for us to ensure the support of the government to the whole community,” wrote Mr. Bonnardel on Twitter Friday.
Of rare complexity
A police force press briefing must also take place around noon on Friday to report new information to the population. According to our sources, the owners of the business, the Lafortune family, were not on the scene. However, employees or customers were on site.
The fire was of rare complexity, with risks of explosion and environmental contamination, which prevented emergency services from coming to the aid of people caught in the rubble, said citizens. Four other fire safety services, those of Repentigny, Rawdon, Sainte-Julienne and Saint-Lin – Laurentides, were called in to help fight the flames.
“The father of one of my daughter’s friends was the first to arrive on the scene,” Steve Durocher, who lives less than 200 meters from the scene of the fire, testified Thursday in an interview with The Press. “He saw an employee come out screaming for help, and then finally it all happened to her. He is in shock. »
His assertion has been corroborated by several testimonies circulating on social networks. “There are deaths, that’s for sure. We could hear screaming before it collapsed… the firefighters weren’t there and it was already too hot, ”wrote Jonathan Marquis on Facebook in particular.
Propane Lafortune was founded in 1955. It is now run by the children of the former leader, including Claude and Karine Lafortune. Very well known in the village, the family said in a statement to be “deeply upset by the events”. “This is the first time in 60 years that our company has experienced such an ordeal. Our hearts go out to our employees, their families and anyone who may be affected by this difficult situation,” she wrote.