L'Isle-Verte seniors' home fire responders receive bravery medal
Canada's governor-general is recognizing 10 provincial police officers who helped rescue seniors the night of the deadly fire in l'Isle-Verte, Que.
On Monday, David Johnston awarded nine men and one woman from the Sûreté du Québec with the Medal of Bravery at his official residence inside Quebec City's Citadelle.
"On January 23, 2014, 10 police officers from the Sûreté du Québec risked their lives to rescue senior citizens who were trapped by flames during a fire at the Résidence du Havre nursing home in L'Isle-Verte, Que.
"Without any equipment, the officers braved both the extreme cold weather outside, and the heat and toxic smoke filling the hallways inside the three-storey building. They acted quickly as the fire spread, with some victims trapped in their rooms or on their balconies," Johnston said in a news release.
Thirty-two people died that night.
The coroner who investigated the fire also praised the officers, saying they had worked long, painstaking hours to save people.
The award recipients are:
- Sgt. Sébastien Briand, Rivière-du-Loup
- Const. Pascal-Éric D'Amours, L'Isle-Verte
- Const. Simon Dufour, Matagami
- Sgt. Steve Duguay, Rivière-du-Loup
- Const. Mathieu Fournier, Rivière-du-Loup
- Const. Steve Guy, Cacouna
- Const. Francis Marquis, St-Fabien
- Const. Dominic Pellerin, Rimouski
- Const. Jean-François Pépin, St-Arsène
- Const. Myriam St-Onge, St-Arsène
