Three dead confirmed and more feared after Quebec senior’s centre burns to the ground

Three people have been confirmed dead but the final count could be much higher after a devastating midnight fire burned an Eastern Quebec senior’s home to the ground, leaving the fate of 30 aged residents in doubt.

Fire crews and emergency officials continue to search through the wreckage in L'Isle-Verte, a small community about 200 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Quebec police have confirmed that three people were killed and as many as 30 others are missing and unaccounted for. Reports suggest 16 others have been rescued from the building and moved to a nearby school. The injured have been taken to a local hospital.

The building is home to approximately 50 seniors, many of whom remain missing from the scene. Acting mayor Ginette Caron told reporters on Thursday that only five of the building’s aged residents were fully mobile. Others needed assistance moving around and several suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

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The fire had been doused by Thursday morning but the three-storey building had burned to the ground, leaving little more than ash and debris where it once stood.

Officials are trying to confirm who was home at the time of the fire, and who may have been out of the building.

Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau told reporters that while 30 people remain unaccounted for, it does not mean they did not survive. Some of those people may have been on vacation with family or otherwise absent from the nursing home, she said.

The disaster comes just six months after the Eastern Quebec town of Lac-Megantic was devastated by an explosion caused when a runaway train carrying crude oil crashed into town. Forty-two residents were left dead in the massive disaster.

The tragedy appeared top of mind on Thursday as Canadians were stirred by the destruction at the senior's center.

"This situation, in a way, reminds us of Lac-Megantic," Bilodeau told reporters. She added that emergency crews from several nearby communities helped fight the blaze, and an investigation will be held into what caused the blaze.

Thomas Mulcair, leader of the Official Opposition, expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the community. "I am deeply saddened by the terrible fire that broke out at La Résidence du Havre leaving death and devastation in its wake," Mulcair said in a statement. "There are no words to express our shock when I think of the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives and those who are still missing. I would also like to underline the courage and dedication of the firefighters who despite the intense flames and danger to themselves rescued residents in distress."

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It is still unclear how the fire began. Neighbour Micaro Michaud told a local newspaper that the drama began shortly after midnight.

"I got up to go to the toilet and I saw smoke," Michaud said, according to the Canadian Press. "The fire had started on the second floor. I woke up my girlfriend and called 911. I saw the firefighters and they got to work. A woman on the second floor was shouting and she went out on to the balcony. Her son went to get a ladder but he couldn't get to her. She burned to death."

Part of any investigation into the blaze will delve into the safety measures employed the Residence Le Havre. The home's website says there are fire alarm zones and sprinklers located throughout the building and smoke detectors in every room.