Police say it’s ‘improbable’ there are more than seven missing in Old Montreal fire

Montreal police say they don't believe there are more victims than the seven people reported missing after fire gutted an Old Montreal building eight days ago. Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of the building, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Montreal police say they don’t think they’ll find more than seven bodies in the rubble of an Old Montreal building that caught fire eight days ago.

Police told reporters today they don’t have reports of more people missing, adding that it’s “improbable” there are more than seven victims.

Searchers have pulled four bodies from the rubble, and only one victim has been identified: a 76-year-old woman who had lived in the building for decades.

Insp. David Shane says officials are working to identify the other three.

Police say three people reported missing are likely still in the charred remains of the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 24, 2023.

The Canadian Press