Man, 91, and woman, 46, dead after house fire in Boisbriand
A second deadly fire within 12 hours in Quebec has claimed the life of two more people.
Police in Therese-de Blainville (RIPTB) are investigating the cause of a fatal residential fire in Boisbriand, just north of Montreal.
The RIPTB reported that an 8:30 a.m. 911 call on Friday reported heavy smoke coming from a house on Beth-Halevy Street.
"The fire was quickly brought under control by the fire service and may have been accidental in origin," said RIPTB inspector Karine Desaulniers.
Firefighters on the scene were told that two people, a 91-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman, were inside.
Both were taken to a hospital, and were pronounced dead.
"Our investigators and fire scene technician will try to determine this in the next few hours," said Desaulniers.
COMMUNITY DEVASTATED
The victims were members of the Hasidic Jewish community in Boisbriand, according to Issac Weiss, who works with Shomrim, a public security service in the community.
Weiss said when the fire broke out, a neighbour tried to wake the couple to no avail. The fire department arrived within minutes, he said, and broke down the door.
Four families, about 20 people in total, live in the home and were there when the fire broke out, according to Weiss. Shomrim helped evacuate the home and get the evacuees access to food and shelter. They are now staying with family.
Everyone in the community – including police and doctors – are working as fast as they can so they are able to bury the victims before 4 p.m., he said, as they must bury them the same day and before Shabbat, according to their religious beliefs.
"The community is devastated," said Weiss. "This is the first time this has happened in our community, in 60 years of existence that someone has died due to a house fire. Everybody is in shock but we are all coming together to support the families."
ANOTHER FATAL FIRE
It is the second deadly fire where two people died in Quebec on Friday.
Firefighters found the lifeless bodies of two people after a house fire in Rawdon, Que. in the early morning hours. The investigation into the causes of that fire is ongoing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.