Second body recovered from Old Montreal building destroyed by fire
Montreal police confirmed Tuesday evening that a second body has been recovered from the building in Old Montreal that was destroyed by a fire last week.
The fire department's technical rescue unit found the victim while searching the building using a crane.
The body has been taken to a forensic lab to be identified.
More details are expected Wednesday at 8 a.m. when fire and police officials hold a news conference.
Five people are still missing.
A woman's body was extracted on Sunday. She has yet to be identified.
"It will be a long process and we will not be able to give names very fast, but we cannot make a mistake," said Montreal police (SPVM) inspector David Shane.
Victims will need to be identified through at least one scientific method, such as dental records or DNA.
Speaking at a press briefing early Tuesday, Shane said the building is still too dangerous for rescuers to enter on foot.
Technicians used cameras Monday to analyze the structure's interior and determine the safest way forward, as well as search for potential victims.
"The work allowed us to confirm the instability of the building as well as the work plan we will we implement today," said fire operations chief Martin Guilbault.
Officials said rescuers will enter the building on Tuesday via crane to search the premises further.
"No one's going to march or go inside the building," Guilbault explained. "Failure is not an option. So we have to take our time to make sure we do the right thing."
Rescuers use cranes on March 21, 2023 to search for bodies in the wreckage of a fire in Old Montreal last week that left one dead and six missing. (CTV Montreal/Matt Gilmour)
The recovery efforts are agonizing for friends and family desperate for answers, who also say there’s a critical lack of communication.
"They ask me lots of things, but once I try to ask them anything about what's happening, like for example why they are so sure only six people are missing, the only answer I get is, 'Oh, it’s under investigation,'" said Yuken Zeng, a friend of one of the missing people, An Wu. Zeng flew to Montreal on Monday looking for answers about his friend.
Police now have access to the building's floor plan and are searching the areas they believe are most likely where the remaining victims may be.
Shane said several floors of the building collapsed on each other, leaving a scene of "complete devastation."
"They're all piled up so then you've got to remove all the rubble and then extract. So this is a glimpse of what our firemen and police are facing," he said.
Police say this a broad investigation and they aren't ruling anything out.
So far, no charges have been laid. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire and whether negligence played a role.
Géhane Kamel, the coroner in charge of the investigation, was also on site to address the press.
"The main objective of my role is to provide answers to families and possibly issue recommendations," she said.
Once potential victims are found and extracted, pathologists will confirm their identities using DNA samples.
The people missing are from Quebec, Ontario and the U.S.
With files form CTV News Montreal's Joe Lofaro and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Should you save or splurge on makeup this summer?
If you're wondering whether you should splurge or save when it comes to buying skincare products and makeup this summer, we got some answers for you.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.