Montreal, 27 November 1993 – 5^th alarm plus 3 pumps & 3 ladders; Box 3-1198 (Brennan & Ann); fully involved, one storey hardware warehouse dating from the 19^th century in the Griffintown district of the city.

Montreal, January, 1980 – 3^rd alarm and February 9^th, 1992 – 5^th alarm; Box 3-2521 (St. Ambroise & Sir Georges Etienne Cartier Est); the long standing Dominion Elevator Limited (later Coopérative Federée Quebec) flour mill on the north bank of the Lachine Canal was the site of massive dust explosion in January 1980 that severely damaged the concrete silos and broke every window in the six storey mill building.  The force of the explosion ripped apart the 2 foot thick concrete silos and toppled over 100 ton railway cars.  After the explosion the damaged silos were demolished.  The mill reopened twelve years later on February 9^th, 1992 first due companies arrived to find the mill fully involved.  The building collapsed during the fire and by the next morning the flour mill was gone.

Montreal, November 4^th, 1995.  5^th alarm + specials; Box 2-1142 (Notre Dame & Gosford); Notre Dame Street East & Gosford; 4 storey vacant commercial building with a severe exposure on the south side to the Montreal Police Department 911 Call Centre.   The radiant heat broke sixty windows on all five floors of the building.  Numerous hose lines were deployed inside the 911 Centre.  All 911 operations were transferred to the back-up site during the fire and remained there for a number of weeks until the main 911 Centre was repaired.

Montreal, February 16^th, 1992.  5^th alarm + 10 engines, 5 ladders & 2 manpower squads; Box 3-1126 (Notre Dame & St. Sulpice); 451 St. Sulpice Street; 4 storey commercial with severe exposures on four sides; Notre Dame Bassilica (Montreal’s most historic church) on the west, 5 storey condominiums on the south, 5 storey commercial on the east and 4 & 5 storey commercial on the north.  The fire, in a sprinklered building, was deliberately set and the sprinkler system water supply turned off.  There was a severe problem with flying brands but the 8 inches of snow that had fallen just before the fire slowed down responding apparatus but covered the roofs, preventing fire spread to many other buildings.

Montreal, September 30^th, 1985.  5^th alarm + 6 engines & 3 ladders; Box 3-1322 (de Vitré & Jeanne Mance); 1001 Jeanne-Mance Street; 5 storey vacant commercial with severe exposure to Montreal Convention Centre. The aerial shot was taken by Rick Leckner who was at the time the dean of the helicopter traffic reporters in Montreal. Rick got his start in the media covering fires for local radio stations, both on the ground and in the air. He is a fellow firebuff and advisor to the Montreal Fire Department.

Montreal, November 1982. 5^th alarm; Box 2-1165 (de La Gauchetière & Sanguinet); 440 de La Gauchetière Street East, 3 storey rooming house, 8 dead.

Montreal, May 9^th, 1984.  5^th alarm + 2 engines;  Box 2-1151 (de Vitré & Saint-Laurent); 978 St. Laurent Blvd; 4 storey vacant residential.

Montreal, June 10^th, 1982.  5^th alarm + 4 engines and 2 ladders, Box 2-1511 (Roy & St. André); St. André Street at Roy Street; residential.

Montreal, May 15^th, 1981. 5^th alarm, Box 3-1156 (des Recollets & Ste. Helene); 444-446 St. Pierre Street, 7 storey commercial; three firefighters killed in building collapse.  Two of the firefighters who died were buried under the pile of rubble next to the “No Parking” sign in the right of the first photo the morning after.  I had been standing 10 feet away from them and worked on their extrication and transport to hospital.

Montreal, May, 1972.  3^rd alarm,  Box 3-1272 (Notre Dame & Canning); 528 des Seigneurs Street; residential.

Montreal, April 24^th, 1977.  5^th alarm Box 2-1442 (Duluth & St. Laurent); 4108 St. Laurent Blvd.; commercial building spread to lumber yard.