St-Laurent Blvd. fire damages 4-storey building
Fire is believed to have started in the Maison Thai restaurant and spread to upper floor residences
A two-alarm fire burned through a four-storey building on St-Laurent Boulevard just above Des Pins Avenue early Wednesday afternoon.
About 70 firefighters and more than 20 trucks arrived at the scene shortly after 12 p.m.
Early information suggests the fire began in the Maison Thai restaurant on the ground floor and made its way up to the residences on the second, third and fourth floors.
The building was evacuated, and the street was blocked off.
A man in his 50s was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation that exacerbated his asthma. He is expected to recover.
John Primiani, chief of operations for the Montreal fire department, said the damage is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Primiani told CBC News that alternative accommodations are being sought for residents of the building whose apartments were damaged by smoke and water.
One resident, Jacqueline Leclair, said she was heading out for an appointment when she smelled smoke. She managed to get out of the building with her two cats.
Leclair said she doesn't know when she'll be able to return to her apartment.
