Friends trying to reassemble Camille Maheux's photography after death in Old Montreal fire
Of those who perished in the major Old Montreal fire, 76-year-old Camille Maheux is the only one who has been identified to date.
The photographer and cinematographer moved into the building more than 30 years ago.
Suzanne Girard met Maheux in 1975 and the two shared a love of snapping pics.
"She was a very good photographer," said Girard. "She was a very good camerawoman. She had the eye."
Most of Maheux's life work is now gone, adding to the tragedy.
"Everything went with her, her archives, her photos, her negatives," said Girard.
Maheux's images have been featured in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery of Canada.
Camille Maheux's photo of Montreal Pride in the 1990s. Friends are trying to reassemble her work after she perished along with her photos and negatives in the Old Montreal fire. SOURCE: Suzanne Girard
Friends from the photographer's world travels are now trying to build back her collection.
"People are phoning from France, from Spain, from Italy, from Brazil," said Girard, who has some of Maheux's photos from past Montreal Pride parades, where she photographed the event for four years in the 1990s.
Camille Maheux's photo of Montreal Pride in the 1990s. Friends are trying to reassemble her work after she perished along with her photos and negatives in the Old Montreal fire. SOURCE: Suzanne Girard
Going through archives of Maheux's work is bringing back positive memories for Girard despite the heartbreaking current reality.
"It's all these good memories right now because I have something of hers, you know, I sort of put it in the back of my mind the circumstance," she said.
Camille Maheux's photo of Montreal Pride in the 1990s. Friends are trying to reassemble her work after she perished along with her photos and negatives in the Old Montreal fire. SOURCE: Suzanne Girard
A second crane is now on the scene to help remove debris from the site, and rescue crews say it will speed up recovery efforts and hopefully end the agonizing wait for families and friends of those loved ones who are still missing.
Once the scene is cleared, Girard wants to honour her late friend and her work properly.
Camille Maheux's photo of Montreal Pride in the 1990s. Friends are trying to reassemble her work after she perished along with her photos and negatives in the Old Montreal fire. SOURCE: Suzanne Girard
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Here's how much more Canadian landlords are asking for now, according to a just-released report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Out-of-control wildfire burning near Fort McMurray
As of 9 a.m. on Friday, the wildfire burning 28 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city was 25 hectares in size.
Mexico's president accuses press and volunteer searchers for missing people of 'necrophilia'
The administration of Mexico's president has accused the press and volunteer searchers who look for the bodies of missing people of 'necrophilia,' comments that drew criticism this week.