5-alarm fire forces evacuation of Montreal home for women at risk
About 150 Montreal firefighters put out a blaze at a home for women at risk in the Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie borough.
The fire broke out shortly before 9 a.m. at the Maison Marguerite, a non-profit organization that offers permanent and temporary housing for women at risk.
The building on the corner of de Bellchasse and Lanaudiere streets was under renovation, and 37 women are now under the care of the Red Cross.
One woman's first instinct was to rescue her cat, Charlie.
"I panicked at first because I couldn't find him, but thankfully, got him out," said Mika Merisier.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital after injuring his ankle.
Some residents woke up to the blaring fire alarm.
"Employees woke, everyone up immediately, and everyone got out quickly," said resident Asima Benabdellah.
The fire spread to the second storey by mid-morning and then to the roof.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blaze that started on the first floor.
The building is now uninhabitable, according to the fire department.
Maison Marguerite has been helping women for more than 45 years.
"They're very kind, they give advice [and] they help us a lot," said Merisier.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.