A fire in a row house on Saturday evening claimed the life of one man and seriously injured a woman in the Sainte-Foy area of Quebec City.
Several calls to 911 shortly before 11 p.m. reported flames coming from the seven-unit row house on Gingras Street.
The fire was so intense that it required a third alarm and the intervention of some 60 firefighters.
When firefighters arrived, a woman with burns was lying on the ground. She was transported to a hospital.
On-site, firefighters were advised that a man was possibly inside the building.
He was located on the second floor during a rescue operation and taken outside, where resuscitation attempts were made, but to no avail. The 54-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the neighboring unit. No smoke alarm was heard by the first firefighters on the scene. The fire is believed to have started in the attic and a portion of the wall.
All other residents of the seven other units were evacuated and taken care of by the Red Cross. A bus from the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) was on site to provide transportation, along with a civil security team.
The investigation has been entrusted to the Quebec City Police Department (SPVQ).
The Quebec City Fire Department (SPIQ) recommends that people ensure they have working smoke detectors on every floor of their home, including the basement.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
