Video shows person break into Old Montreal building before fatal fire that killed mother, daughter

The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

Both victims were French nationals, the sources said.

Montreal police have not released their identities as their investigation continues into what they described as a "suspicious" fire.

Police and fire officials are expected to hold a news conference Saturday at 3:30 p.m. to provide an update on their investigation. The update will be streamed live on ctvnewsmontreal.ca. 

• WATCH LIVE AT 3:30 P.M.: Police provide update on deadly fire in Old Montreal

A firefighter battles a blaze in Old Montreal on Friday, Oct.4, 2024. Montreal police are investigating a major fire that broke out early this morning in a century-old building in Old Montreal, leaving at least one person in hospital. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

The fire started at around 2:30 a.m. Friday on the ground floor of a three-storey building at the corner of Notre-Dame St. East and Bonsecours Street in the city's historic district. The building houses a wine bar on the ground floor, with a 19-room hostel on the upper levels.

Two people were also injured in the fire, including one who was sent to hospital. The Red Cross told The Canadian Press that around 40 people were evacuated Friday after the fire: 16 people from the building where the fire started and 22 families from a neighbouring building.

The fire is reminiscent of another fire in the same neighbourhood in March 2023, when a building that was used for short-term rentals went up in flames, killing seven people. The owner of that building is Emile Benamor, the same owner of the building that was on fire Friday morning.

A fire department official said at a news conference that the building was cited for fire code violations that were "rectified" in the spring of this year. The fire safety issues included "the absence of a fire alarm system and the absence of smoke alarms," Martin Guilbault, division chief of the Montreal fire service, told reporters at a news conference.

Benamor did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. However, he released a statement Saturday through his lawyer.

"It is with shock that we have learned of the tragic deaths of certain people or their disappearance. Please accept my most sincere condolences. Any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects or to an understanding of the cause of this criminal act must be shared with the police authorities in order to prevent a recurrence," the statement reads.

Video shows person breaking into building

Surveillance video appears to show a masked person dressed in black clothing walking up to the building and kicking down the front door before entering. The video, obtained by Noovo Info, shows the person moments later, as smoke appears to come out of the building on the ground floor.

A screenshot of a surveillance video obtained by Noovo Info showing an individual leave a building at Notre-Dame St. East and Bonsecours Street in Old Montreal after breaking into it. (Source: Noovo Info)

The individual then leaves the building and appears to take a photo of the inside before fleeing on foot.

Fire officials said the fire was finally extinguished after midnight on Saturday. Some firefighters and police officers remained on the scene. 

Quebec's public security minister, François Bonnardel, visited the area Saturday to meet with first responders. He told a news conference that the investigation into the fire could be combined with the one 18 months ago.

"My office spoke to the chief coroner [Reno] Bernier this morning Saturday. We will see how we could combine these two unfortunate events in the same investigation to speed up the process," Bonnardel said.

The building was built in 1864 by businessman and politician Alexandre-Maurice Delisle. It's a registered heritage site and was used as a warehouse that included a grocery store.

Heritage Montreal worked out of the building for about 12 years. Policy Director Dinu Bumbaru says it has always been a vibrant building and losing it this way is a major blow.

"It’s a wonderful building, not very sophisticated in terms of ornament, but that’s not the important thing with it. It’s a very significant heritage building," Dinu said.

"In 1981, we opened our first offices and they were in that building in 406 Notre-Dame East. That was in 1981 and we stayed there until 1993 so it was quite a chunk of history in the organization."

With files from CTV Montreal's Matt Grillo, Noovo Info and The Canadian Press

- This story is developing and will be updated.