The following interview between Arnaud Cote and CTV Montreal reporter Maya Johnson is translated from French.
How long were you living at the residence?
I lived there for seven years.
What did you like about the place?
It was clean, it was a very clean house. The floors were waxed and there was someone who worked there just for that.
You made friends.
Sure we all knew each other… we continued to be friends.
You don’t have family here?
No, no brothers or sisters, … I have the wife of a cousin who died. There are 30 who died (in the fire), they say.
And your wife?
My wife died 10 years ago.
What do you remember from that night?
Nothing unusual. I was watching “La poule aux oefs d’or” (a TV show) and other shows. It finished at about 10:30. I went to wash and sleep. It was about 10:45, 10:50, but I didn’t fall asleep right away and 11:1 5 the alarm rang. I thought, ‘What’s happening?’ I went out and didn’t see any fire. I smelled a little smell of smoke but I didn’t see it. But as I walked down the hallway then I saw the smoke and Bruno Belanger came and opened the door for Madame Irene. I wondered how he got through the thick smoke on the other side. He was out of breath.
Did you knock on doors?
Yes I knocked on doors -- the lady across from me woke from the alarm. She asked, “What’s happening?” I said, “I don’t know, I’m going to go see. There’s smoke.” Then I came back and said, “Let’s get out.”
She woke up the two others who were sleeping. They were tough to wake up. We said, “Get dressed as warm as possible, it’s cold out.” We took the emergency exit. When we were halfway down we saw the firefighters right in front of us.
Were you scared?
No, I didn’t think about it. I never thought about it. I never thought I’d be in a fire like that, escaping with women and the men, the firefighters. We went above the garage for some time and then they transferred us to the school.
You are lucky, of course.
Yes.
But it’s hard to think of the others?
You don’t think right away, you don’t realize what could happen. We had a chance to get out.
It must be hard to look at it now?
Yes. The building that was there is gone.
What emotions do you feel?
I feel it sometimes, those emotions.
Because you had a lot of friends...
They were all friends, we all knew each other. We’d play bingo. There were activities every afternoon, the organizers were supposed to be at the table.
Did you have a chance to get your stuff?
I took the little light and the slippers but couldn’t save my clothes.
So did you have the chance to…?
I didn’t have time to put my boots on. I kept my slippers on. My feet were cold.
And what will you do now?
I’m staying here for three days and then going to my new apartment.
You found something?
Yes.
So you called your niece?
I called her right away when I went to sleep at a friend’s place. I didn’t have my own phone so I called one of my sisters to tell her what state I’m in so she wouldn’t see it the next day on TV and ask, “Where is he?” So I alerted her.
So you lost everything?
Yes. Like I just showed you.
So you appreciate your family in those circumstances?
Yes, and friends. When friends saw what happened, they came to look for me. I slept at my friend’s place and the next day I went to the Moisson d’or school and they adopted me for three days here and bought me clothing.
