Three dead, 30 missing after fire at Quebec seniors' home

L'ILE-VERTE, Que. — Three people are dead and 30 are missing after fire tore through a seniors' home in eastern Quebec on Thursday. The blaze broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the Residence du Havre, home to about 60 people. Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the small town about 230 km northeast of Quebec City. According to one of the first paramedics on scene, rescuers had to move quickly once it became clear they were dealing with an inferno. "The police and the firefighters evacuated the people, we took them into our arms and brought them to our vehicles for warmth," Harold Lemelin told QMI Agency.

"We even had a patient who had thrown himself from an upper floor to save himself from the flames." The paramedic said 14 people were taken to area hospitals to be treated for various injuries, including breathing problems. One person was sent to hospital in Quebec City in "grave" condition, a hospital official said. Firefighters had brought the blaze under control by sunrise and were sifting through the rubble looking for survivors. About half of the building was destroyed. Social workers and psychologists were sent to the town to help families of the dead and missing.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/01/23/three-dead-30-missing-after-fire-at-quebec-seniors-home