A fire likely caused by a smoking article in an HLM for seniors left at least two dead, a 58-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, in addition to leaving a third victim in a very critical condition, early Friday morning, in the east of Montreal.
“We can now confirm a second death,” announced at the beginning of the afternoon agent Sabrina Gauthier, of the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM), regarding the tragedy that occurred this morning, in the Pointe district. -aux-Trembles.
Around 4:30 a.m., a call was made to 911 to report a fire on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard. Around 70 firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
Three people were found by the authorities, including the resident of the area for several years, Alain Bernier, who did not survive.
Alain Bernier, deceased.
Photo provided by family
A 35-year-old woman also died in the last hours in a hospital center.
The latter, whose identity remains unknown for the moment, had family ties with the two men.
The third victim was transported in very critical condition.
This is Dany Bernier, one of Alain Bernier’s two sons. According to his relatives, the survival of the 31-year-old young man was uncertain.
Dany Bernier, in critical condition.
Photo provided by family
“It’s truly saddening. When you play with fire, you never know what can happen,” said Daniel Bernier, in front of the low-income housing building in which his brother Alain had died a few hours earlier.
“The main fire, where it was the strongest, was next to Alain, on a couch or a bed. That’s what the police told me,” added another of his brothers, Pierre Bernier, 59 years old.
The SPVM, for its part, has neither confirmed nor denied this information. However, he clarified that according to initial observations of the scene, it was “possibly a fire of an accidental nature”.
A shock
The fire obviously caused a wave of shock among the residents of this home, where everyone knows each other.
“I’ve watched him grow since he was little. He was a nice gentleman. He helped his mother a lot. He was very ill. He shoveled snow from our driveway even though he was riding a four-wheeler. I have a lot of respect for him,” testified Denise, a local neighbor who knew Mr. Bernier very well.
In the past, the latter was a welder, before being struck by several health problems.
Furthermore, according to a building manager on site, smoke detectors were working throughout the building, including in the affected apartment.