Large fire engulfs Mont Gabriel Hotel in Laurentians; multiple fire departments respond
Firefighters from several municipalities were called to the scene of a large fire Friday at the Mont-Gabriel Hotel in Sainte-Adele, Que.
Officials told CTV News the fire began at around 10:15 a.m., though the cause of the blaze is not yet clear.
"At around noon, we thought the fire was under control, but it continued to spread through the walls and floors," wrote Sainte-Adele Mayor Michèle Lalonde on social media. "We are trying to preserve the main section."
"It is a general alert, firefighters from about twenty municipalities and cities are involved," she added.
By late afternoon, large portions of the structure had been destroyed while plumes of smoke rose high above what remained of the hotel.
A large plume of smoke hangs over the Mont-Gabriel Hotel in Sainte-Adele, Que. Friday. Firefighters from several municipalities were called to the scene to fight the blaze.
'I THINK OF MY COLLEAGUES, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS'
Sainte-Adele is a small municipality located about 60 kilometres north of Montreal.
Mont-Gabriel advertises 136 available rooms at its hotel. A promotional video on its website shows large interiors with prominent wood finishing and exposed ceiling beams, which are also made of wood.
"It was a vintage hotel, all made out of logs," said Nathalie Leblanc, who works in the dining hall.
"I’m thinking of the owner,” she said. “After COVID-19, and there was also the tornado at the beginning of the summer."
In late July, a tornado swept through the nearby town of Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard, flattening areas of forest and causing devastating damage to several properties. Leblanc told CTV the hotel was also impacted, with the high winds knocking out power to the building.
"I think of my colleagues, just before Christmas time. I think of the clients, too," she added. "Tonight, the hotel was [fully booked], tomorrow night as well. I imagine that they will all be cancelled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.