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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Cold hampers rescue after Quebec old-people's home fire | Cold hampers rescue after Quebec old-people's home fire |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Canadian emergency crews are battling freezing temperatures to locate about 30 old people missing since a fire destroyed their nursing home. | |
| Officials confirmed that eight people had died in Thursday's blaze, and crews were struggling in temperatures of -21C (-6F) in the town of L'Isle-Verte. | |
| The ruins of Residence du Havre have collapsed and are frozen over with a thick layer of ice from fire hoses. | The ruins of Residence du Havre have collapsed and are frozen over with a thick layer of ice from fire hoses. |
| Many of the missing used wheelchairs or walking frames. | Many of the missing used wheelchairs or walking frames. |
| The deadly fire broke out about 00:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on Thursday. | The deadly fire broke out about 00:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on Thursday. |
| 'Preserve victims' | 'Preserve victims' |
| Several fire departments were called to the town, 225km (140 miles) east of Quebec City, to help extinguish the fire, which was fanned by strong winds. | Several fire departments were called to the town, 225km (140 miles) east of Quebec City, to help extinguish the fire, which was fanned by strong winds. |
| Emergency crews were able to save about 20 of the home's 52 residents, at least 13 of who were treated at hospital. | Emergency crews were able to save about 20 of the home's 52 residents, at least 13 of who were treated at hospital. |
| The Quebec Provincial Police told reporters on Friday that three teams of police and firefighters were searching the debris in 45-minute shifts in order to minimise their exposure to the cold, using tools that produced steam to melt the ice coating the ruins. | The Quebec Provincial Police told reporters on Friday that three teams of police and firefighters were searching the debris in 45-minute shifts in order to minimise their exposure to the cold, using tools that produced steam to melt the ice coating the ruins. |
| Lt Guy Lapointe said the steam would allow the teams to "melt the ice and preserve the integrity of possible victims". | Lt Guy Lapointe said the steam would allow the teams to "melt the ice and preserve the integrity of possible victims". |
| But officials have not confirmed more than eight deaths, saying they wanted to determine how many people were in the building at the time of the fire. | But officials have not confirmed more than eight deaths, saying they wanted to determine how many people were in the building at the time of the fire. |
| Investigators have begun searching for the cause of the blaze, and say they have not ruled anything out. | Investigators have begun searching for the cause of the blaze, and say they have not ruled anything out. |
| Police are asking for anyone with photos or videos of the fire to contact investigators. | Police are asking for anyone with photos or videos of the fire to contact investigators. |
| Most of the residents were over 75 years old, and 37 were over 85 years old. | Most of the residents were over 75 years old, and 37 were over 85 years old. |
| Many were infirm and suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and only five were fully mobile and autonomous, L'Isle-Verte's acting Mayor Ginette Caron told reporters on Thursday. | Many were infirm and suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and only five were fully mobile and autonomous, L'Isle-Verte's acting Mayor Ginette Caron told reporters on Thursday. |
| The BBC's Colm O'Molloy, reporting from L'Isle-Verte, says no-one in town is voicing the likelihood that many of the missing are likely dead, despite it being more than 36 hours after the blaze. | The BBC's Colm O'Molloy, reporting from L'Isle-Verte, says no-one in town is voicing the likelihood that many of the missing are likely dead, despite it being more than 36 hours after the blaze. |
| Retired police officer Pierre Filion, who had a cousin and an aunt living in the residence and who lives nearby, said the tragedy had shaken the tightly knit community. | Retired police officer Pierre Filion, who had a cousin and an aunt living in the residence and who lives nearby, said the tragedy had shaken the tightly knit community. |
| "It's going to take a long time to start living normally," said Mr Filion, whose missing relatives are both in their 70s. | "It's going to take a long time to start living normally," said Mr Filion, whose missing relatives are both in their 70s. |
| Jean-Eudes Fraser told broadcaster CBC he rushed to the building, pulling himself up from the top of a ladder to help his mother, who was trapped on her balcony. | Jean-Eudes Fraser told broadcaster CBC he rushed to the building, pulling himself up from the top of a ladder to help his mother, who was trapped on her balcony. |
| But as the fire quickly spread, he realised the ladder was too short for him and his mother to climb down. | But as the fire quickly spread, he realised the ladder was too short for him and his mother to climb down. |
| "I had to decide if I was going to die with her or go back down myself," he told CBC. He said by the time he returned with a taller ladder, she was dead. "I had to make a decision. It was not easy." | "I had to decide if I was going to die with her or go back down myself," he told CBC. He said by the time he returned with a taller ladder, she was dead. "I had to make a decision. It was not easy." |
| The worst-ever fire in a Canadian nursing home occurred in Notre-Dame-du-Lac in Quebec, in 1969, when 54 people died. | The worst-ever fire in a Canadian nursing home occurred in Notre-Dame-du-Lac in Quebec, in 1969, when 54 people died. |