Firefighters responding to a blaze in Sainte-Thérèse Saturday night were on high alert, after reports that a mother and her child were stuck inside the two-storey residential building located at 162 Carré St-Pierre.
According to Mathieu Lacombe, chief of operations for the Sainte-Thérèse fire department, the fire broke out shortly before 11 p.m. in the 12-unit building.
A fire alarm alerted the department and several 911 calls reporting a fire at the same location confirmed it, Lacombe said.
As crews were on their way to the scene, another 911 call was fielded reporting that a mom and her child were inside the burning building.
Lacombe said that when the firefighters arrived, heavy smoke inside the building had forced some residents out onto their balconies, where they were promptly rescued.
While the exact number of people who were rescued from their balconies has not been confirmed, reports indicate that there were at least three.
At the same time, some firefighters entered the building to search for the missing mother and child.
“After searching in intense conditions of smoke and heat, firefighters confirmed the mother and child were found safe outside the building,” Lacombe said.
There were no reports of serious injuries, but three people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
It took 40 firefighters from six municipalities just under two hours to bring the blaze under control.
Lacombe said the building was heavily damaged and that none of the 35 residents were allowed back into their homes. They have been taken in charge by the Red Cross.
The fire may have started in the basement of the building, according to Lacombe but the cause is still under investigation.
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