The 2023 Montreal Homicide Victim List is available here

Montreal police Insp David Shane announced on August 28th that an “accelerant” was discovered at the scene of the fire in Old Montreal on Place D’Youville that left seven people dead on March 16th.

Police said an accidental cause has been ruled out and it’s now a criminal investigation. Investigators have identified an area where the fire began. The building was a heritage site, paired with the accelerant could explain why the fire spread so quickly. The Montreal Gazette reported the fire started with gasoline in a basement stairwell.

The victims have been identified as:

Walid Belkahla, 18
Charlie Lacroix, 18
An Wu, 31
Saniya Khan, 31
Dania Zafar, 31
Nathan Sears, 35
Camille Maheux 80

Maheux lived in the building, while the others were staying in Airbnb

Update March 18th 2026:
A convicted murderer, Denis Bégin, who had escaped prison in 2019 and was later arrested in May 2023 and was identified as a primary suspect, though he has not been charged in connection with the fire.

Montreal property owner, Émile Benamor, was arrested on March 18th 2026, and charged nearly three years after the fatal fire. He is facing seven charges of manslaughter, Benamor is also facing eight charges of criminal negligence causing death. Benamor has not been accused of having anything to do with the fire itself.

Prosecutors say the charges are about negligence in how he managed the building, such as safety issues and illegal short-term rentals, not about starting the fire itself. Police still believe the blaze was intentionally set and are continuing to investigate who was responsible.