35 Feared Dead in Quebec Retirement Home Fire
Using steam to melt the ice, investigators searched the frozen-over ruins of a retirement home Friday for victims of a fire that left about 35 people feared dead and cast such a pall over the village of 1,500 that psychologists were sent door to door.
"People are in a state of shock," Quebec Minister of Social Services Veronique Hivon said.
At least five people were killed and about 30 others were missing after the flames raced through the three-story building in below-zero cold Fahrenheit. Canada's prime minister said there was little doubt the death toll would climb
Witnesses told horrific tales of seeing people die. Most of the 50 or so residents probably never had a chance to escape — many were over 85 and used wheelchairs or walkers. Some had Alzheimer's.
Pascal Fillion, who lives nearby, said he saw someone use a ladder to try to rescue a man cornered on his third-floor balcony. The man was crying out for help before he fell to the ground, engulfed in flames, Fillion said.
<snip.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/30-missing-quebec-senior-home-fire-dead-21650292
