Old Montreal fire under control, 2 bodies pulled from rubble: police

Authorities in Montreal say at least two people were killed in a major fire that ravaged a three-storey building in a historic part of the city and forced dozens of people out of the area.

Montreal police spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier confirmed Saturday that two bodies were pulled out of the rubble the night before, but would not comment on the identity of the victims.

A communications officer for the Quebec division of the Canadian Red Cross told The Canadian Press that around 40 people were evacuated yesterday, 16 people from the building where the fire started and 22 families from a neighboring building.

2:35
Montreal police inspector gives update on Old Montreal fire

The fire broke out on the property owned by a man whose other building in the same neighbourhood went up in flames last year, killing seven people.

The fire started just before 2:40 a.m. on the ground floor, which houses a restaurant, and quickly spread to the upper floors that were rented out to a third-party operating a hostel.

A spokesperson for the Montreal fire department says firefighters got the blaze under control after roughly 24 hours, but 15 firefighters remain on site to secure the area.