Public health is asking residents in the vicinity of Montréal-Est to close their windows and doors if they smell or see smoke from a five-alarm fire in an industrial building near the intersection of rue Sherbrooke and avenue Durocher.
The fire was "under control" as of Monday morning, public health said. But officials continued to recommend closing off access to the outdoors and setting air conditioners to "recirculation" mode. Residents with heart disease, the health authority said, should avoid outdoor physical activity.
Anyone who experiences a headache, cough, nose or throat irritation is encouraged to call Info-Santé at 811.
Photos shared with Narcity show the scale of the smoke cloud on Sunday.
Smoke surrounds the area of a five-alarm fire in Montréal-Est as firefighters respond on June 26. Courtesy of Félix Legault agence FCA
Smoke surrounds the area of a five-alarm fire in Montréal-Est as firefighters respond on June 26.Courtesy of Félix Legault agence FCA
Smoke surrounds the area of a five-alarm fire in Montréal-Est as firefighters respond on June 26.Courtesy of Félix Legault agence FCA
Smoke surrounds the area of a five-alarm fire in Montréal-Est as firefighters respond on June 26.Courtesy of Félix Legault agence FCA
The Montreal fire department (Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, SIM) first put out a public alert about the fire at 10:43 a.m. By noon, the SIM had sounded a fifth alarm.
The fire began in a former recycling complex that housed piles of wood, Radio-Canada reports. SIM Chief Mathew Griffith told the outlet Sunday that the presence of that flammable material, a structure collapse and hot weather made controlling the fire more difficult.
