In the tranquil residential district of Cote-des-Neiges in Montreal, an ordinary Wednesday evening was ruptured by the sudden outbreak of a fire. A mother and her infant were swiftly rescued from a balcony as their lives hung in the balance, with flames licking the facade of their building.
The fiery drama commenced around 5:40 p.m., creating a scene of chaos and urgency. It drove people from their homes, residents from 50 separate apartments spilling out onto the intersection of Ridgewood Ave. and Cote-des-Neiges Rd. in a desperate bid for safety. A shocked onlooker described the scene, highlighting the woman on the balcony, swallowed up in the thick smoke, her apartment caught in the fiery inferno. Her panic-fueled pleas for help echoed through the streets.
Despite the severity of the fire, which began its destructive journey on the building’s second floor, most occupants made it to safety unharmed. Firefighters orchestrated a robust response, plunging into the heart of the danger to locate two families who were confirmed safe in the aftermath. When their heroic effort came to an end, a total of four people had been rescued from the gripping jaws of danger, inclusive of the mother and her baby.
The fallout saw nine individuals treated for smoke inhalation while a firefighter was tended to for minor burns. Miraculously, the incident led to no severe injuries or hospitalisations.
While most residents would be able to return to the familiarity of their homes, the occupants of two severely damaged dwellings weren’t as fortunate. The investigation into the fire’s origins is ongoing, the cause remaining a mystery for the time being.
To tame the raging beast, a formidable force of approximately 80 firefighters was activated, the blaze finally succumbing to their relentless battle after an arduous 45 minutes. Lending their support to the displaced residents were the Red Cross and local police, who ensured a smooth evacuation process and cordoned off the intersection for safety. While it may have left its mark, this fire is currently not thought to be a creature of criminal intent.
