Quebec seniors' residence evacuated after fire breaks out

Quebec police are investigating after a fire broke out in the Villa des Basques seniors' residence in Trois-Pistoles Sunday morning.

According to Quebec provincial police, the fire started around 2 a.m. at the home for autonomous and semi-autonomous seniors.

Police do not yet know what started the fire in the building located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, about 250 km north of Quebec City. 

Firefighters were able to control the blaze quickly and evacuated the building. 71 residents were then transferred to the Trois-Pistoles hospital where medical teams determined no one was injured, police said. 

"The victims were kept warm on buses. We took care of them. We were able to check their health and support them with relocation," said Sany Maltais, coordinator of civil safety and emergency measures at the CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent. 

The victims have been temporarily housed in other establishments in Bas-Saint-Laurent for the time being, mainly in Rivière-du-Loup and Rimouski. 

"Almost three quarters of the victims have been sent to temporary welcome centres specialized for seniors, according to their conditions," said Maltais. 

Quebec police aren't sure when the victims will be able to return to the Villa des Basques residence. 

"In terms of damage to the building, it's minimal. It's not a total loss. The damage that is there may have been caused by water," police spokesperson Béatrice Dorsainville said. 

None of the damage was visible from the building's exterior, she said. 

A team of provincial police investigators and technicians were dispatched to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.