The first victim of the fire at the Place d’Youville building in Old Montreal was identified by authorities on Wednesday. This is Camille Maheux, a 76-year-old photographer who has lived in the building for 30 years. The police also confirmed in the evening that they had extricated two other bodies from the rubble of the building.
Inspector David Shane, spokesman for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), first confirmed the identity of Ms.me Maheux during a brief press briefing in the afternoon in front of the burnt building, where the search for victims is still continuing. The body of M.me Maheux, who had been missing for several days, had been found by the emergency services last Sunday.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Martin Guilbault, division chief at the Montreal Fire Department, and David Shane, inspector at the SPVM
His identification was formalized by the Laboratory of Forensic Sciences and Forensic Medicine (LSJML), in collaboration with Coroner Me Gehane Kamel. “The victim’s family has been informed by the investigators. Our hearts are with you,” insisted Mr. Shane, indicating that another press briefing should be held by the SPVM at the start of the day, Thursday.
At the end of the evening, Wednesday, agent Julien Lévesque, media relations officer at the SPVM, then confirmed that the search teams managed to locate a third as well as a fourth victim, “and to extract them from the building”. “The bodies of these victims were entrusted to the pathologists of the LSJML, so that their experts proceed to the work of identification”, specified Mr. Lévesque, without advancing further.
Recall that a second body had been located, then extricated from the building last Tuesday. However, his identity has not yet been confirmed. With the two bodies discovered Wednesday evening, there are still three people missing among the rubble of the building.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Camille Maheux, 76, had lived in the building for thirty years. She was a professional photographer.
At this time, Montreal police say they will not provide further details on the specific circumstances that led to Ms.me Maheux, “out of respect for his loved ones”. As a general rule, the formal identification of a victim, however, requires “two factors: either DNA or a dental chart”, detailed Inspector Shane.
Documentary photographer, Camille Maheux worked mainly from Montreal, but also in Brazil since 1982, where she notably covered the 1º Festival Nacional de Mulheres nas Artes in São Paulo. Member of Plessisgraphe (1975-1985), a photography workshop of the 1970s and 1980s, she also participated in numerous exhibitions in Canada, Brazil, France and Italy, in addition to having published her photos in several magazines. and magazines.
On Wednesday, Robert Laca, grandfather of Charlie Lacroix, one of the people still missing, spoke in front of the cameras. ” It’s always the same thing. It’s hell. I am not able to accept that, because it is not normal that we have experienced a situation like that. There were things that happened and there will have to be an exhaustive investigation. […] For now, I just want her out of there,” said the man, who shows up daily at the dig site.
“Every day will be a new challenge”
In a video posted on Reddit on Wednesday, we can also see one of the apartments that were rented in the burned building. “It’s a bit weird because there are no windows. […] It’s the only thing that’s a little suspicious, ”says a young man, who was then filming a site visit for a loved one.
As for the continuation in this file, recalled David Shane, “every day will be a new challenge”. “There will be easier days and more difficult days. […] We expect everything in this investigation, ”he reasoned.
If the first searches were concentrated in areas of the building “more easily accessible”, the excavations should soon be directed to the lower floors.
“We’re going to have to use more and more tools to reach those levels. We will progress as we go, depending on the risk of collapse, ”insisted Mr. Shane, recalling that the teams are already busy “removing pieces of debris” to make further progress.
The chimneys of the building should also be removed soon, in order to speed up the search. ” [Nous resterons] as long as necessary,” concluded Mr. Shane, reiterating his sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Camille Maheux.