A major fire in a building forced the evacuation of 18 families on Sunday morning in Saint-Eustache. Three tenants were taken to hospital, but none were seriously injured.
The blaze broke out around 5 a.m. on Hector-Lanthier Street. Quickly, it spread to the attic, forcing the complete evacuation of the four-story building.
A man had to be evacuated from 3e floor after taking refuge on his balcony where he was trapped.
Three of his neighbors were transported to the hospital after being inconvenienced by the smoke, without, however, presenting any apparent injuries, indicated the director of the Fire Safety Service of the City of Saint-Eustache, Sébastien Laplante.
“The fire was brought under control around 7:30 a.m. We are doing the final exploration, in order to try to find the last sources of fire,” he said.
About thirty firefighters were called to intervene on the spot while the fire services of a dozen municipalities in the region were mobilized.
Investigators from the City of Saint-Eustache Fire Safety Department were also on site Sunday morning to determine the causes of the tragedy.
Some 18 families had to be evacuated and will be taken care of by the Red Cross.