Funerals for two victims of Quebec explosion to be held Friday

The joint funerals for two of the three victims of the explosion in Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan three weeks ago will be held Friday in the municipality's church.

Céline Pilon and France Desrosiers, who were both 65 years old, died in the fire caused by an explosion that levelled the property at Propane Lafortune on Jan. 12.

"The events of the last few days have shaken the entire population of Quebec. Although elements of current events are still present, the stages of mourning must begin," said Dominique Beauchamp, owner of the Jean-Denis Beauchamp Funeral Home, in a statement.

The funeral home is in charge of organizing the funeral, where the public will be admitted, but not media representatives, who are asked to respect the privacy of the families.

Family members of the victims will be able to arrive between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to share their condolences to relatives of those who died. The public will be able to do the same between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

At that time, a liturgical ceremony will be held in the Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan Church.

Several people will speak during the ceremony, including Mayor Sébastien Marcil and Rousseau MNA Louis-Charles Thouin.

Christophe Paradis, a 26-year-old from Mascouche, also lost his life in the explosion.

His funeral will be held Saturday at the Roy Funeral Complex in Mascouche, where family members will receive condolences between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

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- This story was written with the financial assistance of the Meta Fellowship and The Canadian Press for news. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 1, 2023