1 man dead in fire at Montreal encampment

A man in his 30s is dead after his tent caught fire in Montreal's Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie borough Sunday morning.

The paramedic service covering Montreal and Laval says it received the 911 call reporting the incident around 7:30 a.m. The encampment was near the intersection of D'Iberville and Masson streets, close to the train tracks.

Firefighters quickly got the fire under control and, during the intervention, discovered the victim unconscious, according to Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).

Urgences-Santé spokesperson Benjamin Dansereau wouldn't confirm the death but said paramedics tended to someone with severe injuries, adding that no one was transported to hospital.

The SPVM's arson squad has taken over the investigation, though no criminal element has been identified at this stage, Brabant said. No other injuries were reported.

An autopsy will be performed on the victim, Brabant said.