A village hit by the woes

Photo By Caroline James
A major fire has broken out in the night from Saturday to Sunday at the centre of the village of Saint-Fabien, Bas-Saint-Laurent.

Stephanie Gendron

Sunday, December 17, 2017 08:58

UPDATE
Sunday, December 17, 2017 11:24

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A business, a funeral home and housing have been destroyed by the fire in the night from Saturday to yesterday in the heart of the village of Saint-Fabien, Bas-Saint-Laurent.

Saint-Fabien was already on the alert since a few days after another event. Route 132 was closed from Friday to Saturday due to a delicate operation of evacuation of a tanker truck carrying propane gas liquefied, which had been off the road Friday. The event had required the evacuation of dozens of people.

Around midnight Saturday, the fire originated in the residence of the 7th avenue, which houses the shop in the Corner of The gift, also inhabited by the owner. The fire spread to the centre funéraire Jean-Guy Rioux, who also had living quarters on the second floor and the basement. No one was injured.

Photo By Caroline James

Photo By Caroline James

Photo By Caroline James

Magnitude of the blaze

Caroline James, a resident of the district, was awoken by her neighbour in the middle of the night, as she came to the notice of the magnitude of the blaze. “People were in shock. These are people that we know. It is upsetting, there is no word, ” she said.

“It ventait so, the embers revolaient four or five blocks away. Fortunately, there was snow. There is not a roof which ignited, it could have gone wrong turn “, said the mayor, Jacques Carrier, indicating that the citizens kept the same when the morale and solidarity in spite of the tragedies that accumulate. The neighbours of the owner of the house where the fire originated have also mobilized the community of 2000 residents to collect clothes and donations to help the people quickly.

The residents of the area have also lost power. The inhabitants of a dozen surrounding houses had to be evacuated and accommodated at the community hall. The origin of the fire was accidental.

Photo By Caroline James

Photo By Caroline James

An urn

The central burial has been destroyed by fire. Fortunately, none of the deceased should not be exposed to this end of the week, according to Laurence Belzile-Rioux.

“There was an urn inside, the family has been notified. It ignores the state of the ballot box, because we have not been able to get to the inside, ” she said, noting that the company has a storefront in Saint-Fabien for the last 60 years had the intention to continue to offer its services in the short term by renting a room.