A convenience store located on Montée du Moulin in Saint-François was the target of a suspected arson attack during the late evening of December 30.
“10:39 PM // Building fire on Montée Du Moulin in the Saint-François sector,” the Laval Firefighters’ Association posted on their X feed.
“Commercial building. Flames visible in the convenience store. Code 10-07, intervention required. File forwarded for investigation,” they added.
The incident, which occurred at a small shopping mall just east of Marcel-Villeneuve Avenue, was reported to 911. The Laval Police dispatched several patrol cars to the scene, sending seven units, 26 firefighters and officers from the Laval Fire Dept.
The first firefighters arrived on the scene at 10:44 p.m. when the business was closed but engulfed in flames. The firefighters noted that a front window had been shattered and they immediately began attacking the blaze.
By around 11:06 p.m., they had brought the fire under control, although smoke had spread to neighboring businesses by then. Around 11:30 p.m., after the discovery of possibly incendiary materials, the LFD transferred the case to the Laval Police for investigation and analysis for evidence of arson.
It should be noted that the firefighters found no smoke detectors. The damage was estimated at approximately $30,000 for the building and $30,000 for its contents.
Faulty fireplace sets home on fire in Saint-François
A faulty installation or design in an indoor fireplace at an old single-family home on Rang du Haut Saint-François in Duvernay is believed to be the cause of a fire on January 3 that resulted in over $200,000 in damage.
“00:52 // Building fire on Rang Haut-Saint-François in the Duvernay sector,” the Laval Firefighters’ Association posted on their X feed. “Residential building. Smoke visible with fire spreading to the roof. Code 10-12, second alarm,” they said.
The incident, which forced two people to seek out temporary accommodation, was reported to 911 at 12:40 a.m. The Laval Fire Dept. dispatched 34 firefighters and officers, for a total of nine units, to the area located just west of Pie-IX Boulevard.
The first firefighters arriving on the scene easily spotted smoke, particularly at the roof level of the century-old building where flames had rapidly spread.
Faced with a complex situation due to the age of the building and a significant amount of interior wooden structure, the firefighters determined that a wood-burning stove connected to the chimney had been venting combusted gases into the attic.
After confirming the presence and functionality of a smoke detector, allowing for a safe evacuation, the firefighters covered furniture on the first floor to shield it as much as possible from water damage. They were finally able to declare the blaze under control at approximately 2:06 a.m.
An estimated $175,000 in damage was caused to the building’s structure and $50,000 worth to the contents. The Laval Fire Dept. is reminding residents to always make sure that any fireplace or other heating appliance meets safety standards.
Chomedey residential fire being investigated
Laval Police are investigating a suspicious house fire that broke out during the early hours of January 4 in a residential area of Chomedey.
The blaze forced the evacuation of six people. Three of them, who had inhaled smoke, were transported by ambulance to hospital. The fire broke out at 4:51 a.m. Thirty-five firefighters and two chiefs responded to the blaze.
“5:00 AM // Building fire on Edmond-Rostand Street in the Chomedey sector,” Laval’s firefighters reported on their X feed. “Two-story residential building. Flames visible. Code 10-09, full response, potential for escalation. File forwarded for investigation.”
The family home sustained extensive damage, estimated at approximately $400,000, according to an initial assessment by firefighters. However, their intervention contained the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent building, explained Ms. Bolduc-Jacob. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but the case has been turned over to the police for investigation.
