Two people lost their lives in a fire in an apartment building in Saint-Eustache, Que., in the Laurentians. The victims are two adult brothers, whose identities have not yet been released. The fire broke out in the six-unit building on Corbo Street late Saturday night. The 911 call was received at 11:11 p.m. “Thirty firefighters were called in, including four from neighbouring towns, to respond quickly. During the operation, we pulled out two people who were in cardiac arrest. They were taken care of by paramedics and transported to the hospital. We received confirmation this morning that both people had died,” said Sébastien Laplante, director of the Saint-Eustache Fire Department, in an interview with The Canadian Press. He also confirmed that the fire started in one of the basement apartments, but the victims were found in a second-floor apartment. The building was evacuated of all occupants who were on site, but it is not yet certain when and if they will be able to return to their homes in the near future. The extent of the damage has yet to be assessed. “All the residents have been relocated by the Red Cross,” said Laplante, noting that some people were visiting family elsewhere. The fire was brought under control at 12:30 a.m. and completely extinguished about an hour later. “There is nothing to suggest that this was a criminal act. To date, we have no information to suggest that,” said the Saint-Eustache fire chief. There will be an investigation by the coroner and the Saint-Eustache Police Department to try to clarify the exact circumstances that led to this tragedy. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 21, 2025.
