Early morning fire forces dozens of Verdun residents into the cold

Firefighters estimate about 100 people were forced out of their homes in Verdun early Saturday due to a five-alarm fire.

The call came in at around 6:40 a.m. for the fire at a sixplex on 6th Avenue, according to fire department operations chief Luc Robillard.

When firefighters arrived, they saw flames from a third-floor window, he said. The fire spread to the roof and to two neighbouring buildings. A total of 36 homes were evacuated.

The roof had to be opened up in order to douse the flames, Robillard said. The building's structure is made of wood, so opening it requires using tools that can be strenuous to use.

About 125 firefighters were called to the scene Robillard said the extent of the fire, the work involved in putting it out and the cold weather played a role in deciding how many firefighters to dispatch.

Four firefighters were transported to hospital to be treated for minor injuries after falling from the roof to the third floor.

One resident was treated for smoke inhalation.

Robillard said the cause of the fire is not yet known, but does not appear to be criminal.