Gatineau, Que. police confirm murder-suicide following apartment fire

Gatineau police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide at an apartment building overnight. CTV’s Tyler Fleming reports.

Two people are dead after a murder-suicide at an apartment building in Gatineau early Wednesday morning, according to police.

Gatineau police said officers went to the 16-storey building on Rue Laurier in the Hull sector for a wellness check overnight, saw a fire in an apartment, and called firefighters.

The two victims were found unconscious in a fourth-floor unit. Police said they were pronounced dead at the scene.

In an update Tuesday afternoon, police said a 34-year-old man killed his 30-year-old partner before taking his own life.

The fire broke out around 2 a.m. and was under control by 3:30 a.m.

Leah Charlebois is a resident of 225 rue Laurier, and told CTV News Ottawa she was awakened by the sound of fire alarms.

“A little before 2 a.m., we started hearing the fire alarm,” she said. “I’m on the 10th floor. It was pretty scary getting down. We were kind of smelling [smoke] more and more as we were going downstairs. Outside, there were around 50 people, lots of fire trucks, paramedics and police officers.”

Charlebois says residents who evacuated waited about an hour before STO buses arrived to keep people comfortable. She says flames were not visible outside the high-rise.

“We were allowed to go back home around 4:20 a.m., and the alarms stayed on until maybe 5 or 6 a.m.,” she said.

“I woke up to family and friends sending me the article, and I didn’t expect it. I thought, you know, no fire, everyone seemed okay. It’s pretty sad to hear ... and I feel very sorry for the two people that didn’t make it.”

Around 30 people have been displaced, according to a news release, and are being helped by the Red Cross.

Gatineau police are investigating.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Tyler Fleming