[VIDÉO] “They were lucky”: an apartment building partially collapses in Montreal

Montreal firefighters held their breath as they discovered a partially collapsed three-story multiplex Monday afternoon, the damage believed to have been caused by a construction site.

“It’s certain that when we saw the damage, we were really happy to see that there were no injuries or worse,” he said. Journal George Bele, spokesperson for the Montreal Fire Department (SIM).

See photos of the damaged building below:

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

• The building that collapsed in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal on Monday afternoon.
  
  Louis-Dominique Lamarche / JdeM

• 

Firefighters first received a call around 1:33 p.m. The building in question, a multiplex at the intersection of Cazelais and Walnut streets in the Saint-Henri district, housed three apartments.

“Luckily, there was no one in it when it collapsed. They were lucky,” Mr Bele said.

The building, located in the Saint-Henri district, before and after Monday’s damage. Photo Apple Plans and Louis-Dominique Lamarche

Construction site under the microscope

According to the SIM spokesman, the building may have collapsed due to a construction site nearby.

“It is the inspectors of the City of Montreal who have taken over the file. They are the ones who will be responsible for investigating or not,” indicates George Bele, who does not have further details at the moment.

The Journal has also noted on site that a security perimeter now surrounds the collapsed building. All the rooms in the apartments are also exposed to the outside, the roof has collapsed and the floors are inclined.

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