[EN IMAGES] Charlesburg: A fire caused by a smoker’s article on a sofa

Dozens of firefighters were called in to put out a fire at a condo building in the Charlesburg metropolitan area of ​​Quebec and to rescue a resident on the 3rd floor.

“The fire marshal’s investigation shows that the smoker’s article on the sofa caused the fire,” says the Quebec City Fire Service (SPCIQ), which reminds people to avoid smoking while sleeping.

The fire broke out just after 2pm on Saturday in a building located at 4820 5th Avenue in Charlesburg.

Several calls were made at 1:56 p.m., according to the fire department.

Quickly, a third alarm was called, requiring the intervention of about fifty firefighters at the site.

A woman in her sixties on a balcony on the 3rd floor of a 64-unit building had to be rescued using a ladder truck.

She was then taken to the hospital by paramedics to inhale the smoke.

By 3:00 p.m., the situation was considered “under control.”

During the intervention, about sixty people had to be evacuated. All three condominiums cannot be re-installed due to fire or water damage.

-Elsa Iskander / Lee with Journal de Quebec