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Longueuil organizations step up after fire rips through apartment building

Click to play video: 'Community rallies around Longueuil fire victims'
Community rallies around Longueuil fire victims
WATCH ABOVE: Residents in Longueuil are coming together after a fatal fire on Friday. The blaze tore through a three-storey apartment building leaving three dead and about 40 others homeless. Saturday, local organizations were collecting donations for those who lost everything. Felicia Parrillo reports – May 14, 2016

LONGUEUIL – It’s a beautiful Saturday morning, but Longueuil residents aren’t thinking about themselves.

Many of them are busy dropping off furniture and clothing at the Carrefour Mousseau – a non-profit centre collecting donations for those who lost everything in a fire early Friday morning.

Janick Laroche works at the Carrefour Mousseau and he says the fire hit close to home.

“Since I live in this area too, I was a bit shocked by the fire,” he said. “So I do my best to give them help.”

READ MORE: 3 dead after fire blazes through Longueuil apartment building

The 24-unit apartment building housed 40 people.

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Five adults and three children were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and shock.

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Three people died.

Police have yet to release the names of the victims, but neighbours told Global News they include a married couple, both in their 60s, and another man.

Laroche said he knew one woman who just made it out in time.

“She was crying in my arms and she didn’t have anything in her feet so I brought her a pair of tongs [flip-flops] to wear cause she was in her socks,” he said. “And she lose [sic] everything, didn’t have any insurance – so she lost everything.”

“I feel very sad for them, cause I didn’t know what gonna happen with them,” said Laroche. “I know the Red Cross take care of them for 72 hours, but on Monday, they’re going to be free by themselves and who knows what’s going to happen after this, I don’t know.”

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What can you do to help?

  • Carrefour Mousseau is collecting clothing, furniture and household items. They are located at 230 des Ormeaux Boulevard in Longueuil.
  • L’Entraide Chez Nous, located at 155  Brodeur St. in Longueuil.
  • Also collecting items is the PQ’s Diane Lamarre. She’s opening her office for anyone to drop off donations. The office is located at 498 Roland-Therrien Boulevard in Longueuil.

 

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