There was a tragic fire in the old port of Montreal last week. One of the beautiful old buildings in the old city caught fire. It was built in the late 1800's and was used as a residential building. Unfortunately the building has to be demolished. People lost their apartments and tragically, 7 people lost their lives.
One of the first to be found, was an 18 year old staying in an arbnb unit. She called the fire department saying there was no way out. The firefighters were unable to enter the building right away due to the danger. They have pulled bodies out since then. 2 people are still missing in the rubble.
We decided to go down there and see the building before it gets cleared away bit by bit.
It's about a twenty minute walk from our apartment. Heading down to the old port, we pass through Chinatown.
After passing Chinatown we get to the old Montreal Cathedral. We notice they have dismantled part of it. Scaffolding is making the interesting building look quite unattractive.
We looked to the top and noticed a port o pottie. In case you don't know what that is, it's a portable public washroom, also known as an outhouse.
This outhouse was on the top of the cathedral. I found it so odd but I guess if you are working at the top you would not want to climb down every time you had to go.
It made me wonder how they get it down without spilling. These are the important things that my pea brain thinks about.
Even though it's officially spring I still wouldn't be comfortable without my winter coat, several layers of clothing, including two pairs of pants, a hat, and gloves.
The moment I caught a drop of sun I took the opportunity to bask in it and remember it.
We were not exactly sure where the building was. We had a vague idea so we headed in the direction looking for a sign of disaster.
The streets were fairly quiet, but there were still a few people walking around.
This area is full of art galleries and restaurants. Some are closed for the winter and some are just closed for good.
It wasn't long before we spotted the fire trucks and the building in the middle of being dismantled.
The area was blocked for obvious reasons.
We walked around the corner, to get a glimpse of it from a different angle.
There were many police officers standing around doing nothing. I guess they really had to make sure nobody got close.
A reporter was on his way to get the latest news.
There was a sadness in the air. I feel for the people that are suffering from this unfortunate incident.
After saying goodbye to the building we made our way down to the river. We haven't been down there since the summer when it was bustling and super hot.
I couldn't believe the ice sheet that was on the water. I'm sure it will still be there when the flowers are blooming.
Across the river I got a clear view of the condominium complex, called "Habitat". This was a project built in 1967 for the world exposition. My father took my mother and I to expo 67. We lived in another province.
The factories in the distance are the grain silos of a closed down mill.
We decided to head back walking toward the area where we both worked for five years.
I said hello to some friends that I would pass by on my way from the metro.
In summer this alley looks like, what I imagine to be a scene in Paris. I've never been there but the street vendors selling paintings and artwork, give the Parisienne vibe.
There would be cafes and bistros around the corner with the patios full of people getting a cool drink and a plate of overpriced food.
I noticed that in the square, Place Jacques Cartier, there were Adirondack chairs. They were tied up of course. I don't really like adding this design of chair to a historical square. This is where there was a market in the old days. Farmers would bring their produce here with their horses and wagons.
We decided to head back home. We had been outside in the frosty air, for at least an hour and a half.
As we walked away we noticed several people standing outside of another building and a fire truck. We wondered if there had been yet another fire, but there was no smoke. It must have been an alarm from something small.
Our tour started with fire trucks and ended with fire trucks.
Thank you for stopping by and have a good day.