Two dead in “suspicious” five-alarm fire in Old Montreal building with vacation rental units

UPDATE 12:25 p.m. While it was widely reported this morning that rental spaces in the Old Montreal building that burned down overnight were reserved through Airbnb, residential units at 400 Notre-Dame E. were reportedly rented from an unspecified “vacation rental site.” Airbnb has confirmed that there were no Airbnb listings in the building.

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Firefighters are still battling a five-alarm fire that broke out in Old Montreal around 2:30 a.m. in a 101-year-old building at the corner of Notre-Dame and Bonsecours. Two people have died in the fire, one is critically injured and two other people suffered minor injuries.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that the owner of this building is Emile Benamor, who was also the proprietor of the Place d’Youville building that went up in flames in March 2023, killing seven. That building was illegally being used to rent Airbnb units, at least one of which had no windows. The site of today’s fire also features short-term rental units, as well as a wine bar called Loam on the ground floor, which is reportedly where the fire started.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says that the fire is “of suspicious origin” and that the SPVM is investigating. Plante also advised Montrealers to avoid the area, and Santé Montréal has issued an advisory about poor air quality.

“My first thoughts are with those affected and the victims.”

Un incendie s’est déclaré très tôt ce matin, à l’intersection des rues Bonsecours et Notre-Dame. Les équipes du @MTL_SIM sont toujours à pied-d’œuvre pour contrôler l’incendie et assurer la sécurité. L’enquête a été transférée au @SPVM étant donné qu’il s’agit d’un incendie… https://t.co/OxqGvcN4pU

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) October 4, 2024

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