Body of 2nd victim recovered at site of Old Montreal fire

A second body was recovered at the site of the fire in Old Montreal Tuesday evening, according to the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).

Montreal police say the remains are being transferred to a laboratory for identification.

The SPVM says there will be an update about the recovery tomorrow morning at 8 am. 

Last week, a fire tore through the three-storey, 15-unit building at the intersection of Place d’Youville and Saint-Nicolas Street.

The body of the first victim — an unidentified woman — was recovered Sunday from the rubble.

Five others are still missing.

Nine people, three of whom had serious injuries, were transported to the hospital.

Montreal fire operations chief Martin Guilbault said at a news conference Tuesday morning that crews have been unable to enter the building due to the risk of collapse. He said teams were continuing to scan the site from a safe distance.

SPVM Insp. David Shane said identifying the bodies will be a “long process,” in part because victims need to be identified through at least one scientific method, such as dental records or DNA.

“We will not be able to give names very fast, but we cannot make a mistake,” said Shane, who recognized the wait could feel “unbearable” for family members.