A fire incident at an empty building in Montreal led to the closure of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. City officials had conducted multiple inspections on the property located at 1600 De Lorimier before the fire outbreak. The Ville-Marie borough had carried out 12 inspections since 2023, with the most recent one on December 22, 2025. During these inspections, two “infraction notices” were issued to the building’s owner to remind them of their responsibilities concerning vacant buildings.
The building’s owner, Bertone, and the City of Montreal were contacted by CBC for more details regarding the infractions. In response, Briana Bertone, the company’s director of legal affairs and corporate strategy, stated that they had not received any notice of violation for the property. Bertone claimed to have actively collaborated with the city to ensure the building’s safety since acquiring it.
Clarifying the nature of the infraction notices, a city spokesperson explained that they serve as informational reminders and do not result in penalties. These notices are issued annually to all affected owners under the vacant building monitoring program. Montreal authorities are investigating the cause of the fire that occurred late Tuesday, leading to the demolition of the building and the subsequent reopening of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge in both directions.
The property, a former soap factory at the bridge’s base, was earmarked for redevelopment into housing by Bertone. However, the project has been put on hold pending further assessments following the fire incident. The federal government had previously announced a $108 million investment in the 304-unit housing project. Vacant buildings in Montreal have been susceptible to fires in recent years, with several incidents reported. The city implemented regulations in 2023 to register vacant buildings and enforce fines for non-compliance, which came into effect on January 1, 2026.
Montreal firefighters’ association president, Chris Ross, highlighted the increased fire risks and dangers posed by vacant buildings to emergency responders. He emphasized the challenges faced in rescuing individuals trapped inside such structures due to their boarded-up and unstable nature.