A fire forced the evacuation of the seven-story building at 74 Mingan overnight from Saturday to Sunday.
The City of Sept-Îles Fire Department was called to intervene around 2:15 a.m. The building has 98 residents. A few minutes after their arrival, firefighters received information that there was smoke in the basement and in a stairwell.
The evacuation had already begun. The Sûreté du Québec collaborated in the operation. In total, 89 people were directed to the neighboring Pioneers building.
“The firefighters then went around each of the homes to ensure that there was no longer anyone inside,” the Fire Department said.
No one was injured.
At the same time, another team located the origin of the fire.
The flames apparently started near an exterior exit protected by a canvas shelter. The fire was apparently caused by a smoking article accidentally thrown into a pile of dead leaves under the shelter. The smoke then spread inside the building.
Checks were also made on each floor to confirm that there were no other sources of fire. An emergency pre-alert was given to the municipality’s emergency accommodation team, but ultimately, residents were able to return around 4 a.m. Sunday morning.
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