(Quebec) A man in his sixties died in a fire that broke out Thursday night in a residential area in the Saint-Roch neighborhood, in Lower Town, Quebec.
There are fears for the life of a woman who was also taken to hospital following the fire in a six-unit building on Sagard Street.
At around 4 a.m., two calls to 911 reported a fire in this building, including one evoking a fire in a waste container stuck against it.
The Fire Protection Service of Quebec City (SPCIQ) indicates that the firefighters confirm on their arrival the spread of the fire to several dwellings through the galleries located at the back as well as in the structure of the building.
The fire also spread to the neighboring attached building on Sagard Street.
Rescue operations are carried out in particular with people located on the roof of the neighboring building.
Two other residents are evacuated by firefighters and taken care of by paramedics. One of them was unconscious.
Shortly after 6:30 a.m., the fire department declared the situation under firefighters’ control. Five firefighters were injured.
The SPCIQ confirmed the death of a man in his sixties on Thursday afternoon.
At daybreak, dozens of firefighters were fighting the flames while representatives of the Canadian Red Cross helped take care of the victims living in three buildings, in particular by temporarily accommodating them in buses of the Réseau de transport de la Capital (RTC).
About 20 people were taken care of by the Red Cross.
The damage to the two buildings affected by the fire is major, said the SPCIQ.
Investigators from the Quebec City Police Department (SPVQ) were on the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
The SPCIQ reported that five alerts must have been sounded in the barracks.