A fire at an empty building in Montreal last week led to the closure of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. City inspectors had visited the building at 1600 De Lorimier multiple times, with the most recent inspection taking place on December 22, 2025. The Ville-Marie borough conducted 12 inspections since 2023. Following these inspections, two “infraction notices” were issued to remind the building’s owner of their responsibilities regarding vacant properties.
The building’s owner, Bertone, stated that they had not received any violation notice for the property. They mentioned actively collaborating with the City of Montreal to maintain the building’s safety since acquiring it. The city clarified that the infraction notices were informational in nature and not indicative of any violations.
Montreal police are investigating the cause of the fire, which occurred late on Tuesday. The building has been demolished, and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge has reopened in both directions. Authorities will review security footage and are exploring whether there were squatters in the building.
The historic building, formerly a soap factory, was set for redevelopment into housing by Bertone. The federal government had committed $108 million to the housing project in March. However, the project is currently on hold pending further assessment in light of the recent incident.
Vacant buildings in Montreal have been susceptible to fires in recent years, with several occurring in unoccupied structures. The city introduced a bylaw in 2023 requiring property owners to register vacant buildings, although enforcement has yet to be implemented. Rules for vacant buildings came into effect on January 1, 2026, with fines ranging from $1,000 to $250,000 for historic properties.
Chris Ross, president of the Montreal firefighters’ association, highlighted the increased fire risk and unique hazards vacant buildings pose to emergency responders. He emphasized the challenges of rescuing individuals from such buildings due to safety concerns.
