The site of a fire in Old Montreal that killed seven people, including people staying in unlicensed short-term rentals, sits behind fencing, in Montreal, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL – Police say a fire last March that killed seven people in a heritage building in Old Montreal has turned into a criminal investigation.
Montreal police Insp. David Shane says traces of fire accelerants were found at the site, which can help explain why the flames spread so quickly.
Shane says experts have found out where the fire started, and have ruled out an accidental cause.
Seven people died in the March 16 blaze, including a long-term resident of the building and six people who were staying in short-term rentals.
Inspectors had reported multiple fire code violations during visits in the years leading up to the fire in the building.
Shane says a coroner’s inquest into the deaths has been suspended while the criminal investigation follows its course.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2023.
