MONTREAL - A young woman died and 10 others were hospitalized as a result of a fire in a Cote des Neiges apartment building very early Wednesday morning.

A 20-year-old woman was in cardiac arrest when first responders arrived on the scene just before 2 a.m. Wednesday.

She was revived on the scene and rushed to hospital, but police announced she had died just after 4 p.m.

A woman in her thirties was also in a state of cardiac arrest when firefighters arrived, and she was still in critical condition in hospital late Wednesday afternoon.

Two children aged 7 and 13 were in critical condition because of smoke inhalation, but their status was upgraded to stable by late afternoon.

Two people were treated at the scene of the fire but did not need further care.

Five patients were taken to the Jewish General Hospital, one of whom was released shortly after being admitted.

One child was taken to Ste. Justine's Hospital, and that child's mother has been transferred to that hospital.

Electrical fault caused the fire

An electrical fault in the basement of a three-storey building at 2500 Van Horne, near Hillsdale St., started the fire at 1:45 a.m., and clouds of smoke filled the building.

Luc Robillard of the Montreal fire department said the priority was evacuating the building.

"It's a very smoky fire," he said. "It had a little bit of flame in the basement, but all in the staircase -- it's an open staircase -- the fire get down in the basement and all the smoke got in the staircase and all the people came down the staircase."

About 40 people live in the building's 17 apartments.

Firefighters say there were no working smoke detectors so people stayed inside far too long and many were overcome by smoke.

Several occupants say they heard the alarms go off, but that they stopped after a few seconds.

"The investigation has been transferred to the Montreal Police Dept. because people have been seriously injured," said Constable Simon Delorme.

Investigators have since determined the fire was not deliberately set.

The Red Cross and Sun Youth have joined forces to house people in a hotel on Decarie Blvd. until they can return home.