In Saint-Nicolas, a fire, possibly criminal, started late Saturday night in a basement bedroom of a residential building, triggering a rapid emergency response.
An older woman became trapped in the lower unit due to heavy smoke and was unable to find an exit. A total of 21 firefighters came to stop the fire and saved her from the collapsed building. The woman got sent to the hospital a while after.
“The team intervened very quickly, so they managed to contain the flames in the original room,” said the fire department’s operations chief.
Authorities say the origin of the fire remains under investigation, but it is being treated as suspicious. Officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause. Neighbour concerns have been raised about the conditions of the fire, describing it as poorly maintained and not up to safety standards.
The second fire happened in Saint-Romain-Belle-Église, an old church that was destroyed because nobody could stop the fire. Firefighters tried to stop it, but the church was too old, and the wood was too dry. The bell fell an hour after the fire started.
A power outage in the neighbourhood made the citizens really concerned and sad because the church was an old, important historical building.
“It’s extremely sad for all the families who contributed their meager resources to build it,” said a homeowner and resident of the municipality.
The last big fire that happened near a Dépanneur in Charlesbourg. The accident started in a garbage bin at the back of the store. Around 35 firefighters were called to the scene to bring the blaze under control. One employee was safely evacuated and was not injured. A police dog unit was deployed to search for evidence, but no useful clues were found. The investigation remains ongoing, and no suspects have been identified so far.
“More than 35 firefighters were needed to fight the fire, which spread through the structure. The building suffered significant damage,” said Pierre-Olivier Lévesque, spokesperson for the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ).
