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| Deadly fire at Quebec home for the elderly | Deadly fire at Quebec home for the elderly |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least three people have died and 30 more are reported missing after a fire tore through an old people's home in Quebec, officials have said. | |
| The fire at the 52-unit residence in L'Isle-Verte, 140 miles (225km) east of Quebec City, was first reported about 00:30 local time (05:30 GMT). | The fire at the 52-unit residence in L'Isle-Verte, 140 miles (225km) east of Quebec City, was first reported about 00:30 local time (05:30 GMT). |
| Residence du Havre, home to about 50-60 elderly people, was completely destroyed. Several people were injured. | |
| A local police official said rescuers still hoped to find missing residents. | A local police official said rescuers still hoped to find missing residents. |
| Police told reporters emergency crews were still considering their efforts a rescue mission, searching for the missing residents, some who may be with family. | |
| "We hope for the best," Sgt Audrey-Annie Bilodeau said, adding about 20 people were transported safely from the Resident du Havre. | |
| "We hope that the number is going to go down." | |
| 'Night from hell' | |
| L'Isle-Verte's acting Mayor Ginette Caron told reporters that most residents at the home used wheelchairs or walkers. Some had Alzheimer's disease. Only five residents were fully autonomous, she said. | |
| "All our thoughts are with the families, the people affected by this ordeal," Ms Caron said. | |
| Several fire departments from around the region were called to the town of 1,400 to help extinguish the fire. | Several fire departments from around the region were called to the town of 1,400 to help extinguish the fire. |
| As firefighters worked to stop the fire, they were also fighting temperatures of -19C (-2F) and blowing winds. | As firefighters worked to stop the fire, they were also fighting temperatures of -19C (-2F) and blowing winds. |
| Local chief firefighter Yvon Charron called it "a night from hell", the Canadian Press reported. | Local chief firefighter Yvon Charron called it "a night from hell", the Canadian Press reported. |
| Mario Michaud, who lives across the street, told the local newspaper Info Dimanche he called emergency services after he saw smoke in the building. | Mario Michaud, who lives across the street, told the local newspaper Info Dimanche he called emergency services after he saw smoke in the building. |
| "The fire had started on the second floor," Mr Michaud said. "I saw the firefighters and they got to work. A woman on the second floor was shouting and she went out on to the balcony. Her son went to get a ladder but he couldn't get to her. She burned to death." | "The fire had started on the second floor," Mr Michaud said. "I saw the firefighters and they got to work. A woman on the second floor was shouting and she went out on to the balcony. Her son went to get a ladder but he couldn't get to her. She burned to death." |
| Prime Minister Stephen Harper, travelling in the Middle East this week, tweeted that his "thoughts and prayers go out to the injured and the families and friends of those lost in this morning's horrific fire in L'Isle-Verte". | |