MONTREAL -- A body was discovered in the rubble of a residence that was destroyed by an explosion in Morin-Heights, in the Laurentians, about an hour north of Montreal

At around 11:20 a.m. Friday, emergency services were called to a residence on Trois-Pierre St.

"According to our information, there was an explosion before the fire which was controlled," said Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Anik Lamirande. "The technicians, unfortunately, discovered a body in the rubble of the house."

Gilles Laurencelle, who lives near the scene of the explosion, said it was so large that by the time he got outside, the roof had collapsed and the fire was as tall as the trees. 

The victim had not yet been identified on Saturday morning.

The SQ does not yet know what caused the explosion and the fire that followed.

An investigation is underway and SQ fire scene technicians will continue to analyze the scene on Saturday.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2021.