'A woman was screaming 'Fire! Fire!'': Flames engulf Saint-Eustache apartment building

An apartment building in Saint-Eustache was engulfed in flames Sunday morning in Quebec's Laurentians region.

Four people were sent to hospital, including one woman in critical condition, after the building was evacuated.

The fire, the cause of which has yet to be determined, started in the early morning.

Vincent D'Amours, a tenant, was woken up at 5 a.m. with his pregnant wife. Someone was screaming in the hallway.

“A woman was screaming 'Fire! Fire!' and was knocking on every door," he said.

The couple was able to escape, and firefighters were already on location.

Several fire crews from neighbouring municipalities were called to the scene, while police responded to set up a security perimeter. There was significant damage to the building, located on Hector Lanthier Street.

The flames started on the third floor, but spread quickly because of the high winds – 18 of the 20 units were occupied.

Other tenants reported getting stuck inside the building trying to escape the intense heat.

The Red Cross helped people find temporary places to stay, many of whom didn't have insurance.

Finding a new apartment in Saint-Eustache could be a challenge with the vacancy rate below one per cent, the lowest on the North Shore.

D'Amours said he and his pregnant partner aren't sure where they will go.

"The next few days will be tough," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press