A second crane will be used to speed up the search through the rubble of the building that was engulfed in flames exactly a week ago in Old Montreal, where at least three people are still missing.
During their daily press briefing on Thursday morning, the fire and police authorities assured that the search teams remain highly motivated to provide answers to the families, even if the operations are complex due to the state of the devastated building. .
Wednesday evening, two other bodies were extricated from the rubble, bringing the total to four since the search began. The remains were handed over to the Laboratory of Forensic Sciences and Forensic Medicine, to allow experts in the field to identify them.
These discoveries came hours after the identity of a first victim was confirmed. This is Camille Maheux, 76, whose body was found last Sunday.
The authorities, however, do not intend to give further details on the circumstances surrounding his death or his identification. “It’s really out of respect for his family and loved ones, and also to protect the confidentiality of the elements of the investigation,” explained Inspector David Shane, of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Thursday. Morning.
The arrival of a second crane will allow the teams “to move forward a little more quickly in the work,” explained the division chief of the Montreal Fire Department, Martin Guilbault.
He recalled that, until now, all the research has been done from a nacelle attached to a crane, “little by little, little room by little room”, since the state of the building does not allow speakers to walk inside. Cameras, a drone and other tools are also used in these “manually” searches.
“We are able to continue to descend quietly into the building, but our very technical objective is to always keep the risk of collapse under the workers, under the nacelle. […] We went down a little lower than the third floor and we continue to go down, ”explained Mr. Guilbault, before adding that the operations are concentrated in areas likely to contain victims.
At least three other victims
Inspector Shane, of the SPVM, reiterated that the investigators do not exclude the possibility that there may be people in the building whose disappearance has not yet been reported to the police force, such as tourists who resided in temporary accommodation or socially isolated people.
“I take this opportunity to remind you that anyone who is worried about a person and who thinks that person may have been in the building can contact the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, at (514) 280- 2222 or report to a neighborhood station,” he said.
In total, the SPVM contacted the families of seven people missing following the fire in this building located at the intersection of rue du Port and Place d’Youville. These people came from Quebec, Ontario and the United States.
Families and friends have already identified some of the missing, including Saniya Khan and her childhood friend Dania Zafar, who were in Montreal for a trip.
The disappearance of An Wu, a 31-year-old neuroscientist who was in Montreal for a conference, has also been reported.
Charlie Lacroix, an 18-year-old young woman from Terrebonne, is also one of the missing persons. According to her father, the young adult had rented a unit in the building on Airbnb with a friend and she allegedly told 911 operators that she was stuck in the apartment with no emergency exit or window during the fire.
To offer answers to the families, the intervention teams will not give up, assured Inspector Shane. “What motivates us is really to alleviate the anguish and pain of families,” he said Thursday.
The police investigation is continuing to identify the cause of the fire.
With Sidhartha Banerjee