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
Meta will test blocking news on Instagram, Facebook for some Canadians
Meta is planning to run a test that will block news for some Canadian users on Facebook and Instagram in response to the Liberal government's controversial online news bill.

Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Hidden camera discovered in washroom at Gatineau, Que. elementary school
Gatineau police say officers responded to a call from staff at l’école l'Oiseau Bleu on Nelligan Street just after 10 a.m. Friday about a camera found in the washroom.
New non-invasive tool detects early stages of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
Researchers at Carleton University's Department of Electronics in Ottawa created a ground-breaking testing device to detect early signs of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s through biomolecular activities in a person’s saliva.
Jordan's royal wedding gets underway in ceremony packed with stars and deep symbolism
The wedding of Jordan's crown prince to the scion of a prominent Saudi family began on Thursday in a palace celebration that drew massive crowds and a mood of excitement around the kingdom, while presenting the young Hashemite royal as a new player on the global stage.
'Tone-deaf': Singh slams rapporteur Johnston for not stepping down
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed foreign interference special rapporteur David Johnston's refusal to heed the House of Commons' call for him to step down as 'tone-deaf.'
Despite munchies, frequent cannabis users are leaner and less likely to get diabetes: study
Despite the 'munchies' being a common cannabis effect, frequent users are leaner and less likely to develop diabetes than people who don't use the drug. According to a new study, cannabis use in teenage years may alter how the body's fat cells work.
Man accused of threatening to shoot Toronto mayoral candidates arrested
A man who allegedly threatened to shoot mayoral candidates that led to the cancellation of Thursday’s debate has been arrested.
Collapsed platform in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar last repaired a decade ago: city
The elevated walkway in Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar that collapsed during a school field trip, sending 16 children and one adult to hospital, was last repaired a decade ago.