Concrete Firewall Likely Saved Lives at Montreal Senior Residence

A fire that engulfed most of a seniors' residence in a Montreal neighborhood would probably have caused more damage and fatalities had the flames not hit a firewall, authorities say. The 3-story residence was built in 1997 and, five years later, the owners constructed a 2-story wing. The original building and the new wing were separated by a firewall. During the fire, the older part of the residence burned down while the addition was largely spared.