Old Montreal building owner charged in deadly 2023 fire
Old Montreal fire: Police arrest owner on 15 charges
Émile Benamor leaves police station after being granted bail
Crown explains why building owner in Old Montreal fire was granted bail
The owner of a building in Old Montreal that burned down in 2023, killing seven people, is now facing charges of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Montreal police (SPVM) chief inspector David Shane confirmed that Émile Haïm Benamor, 63, was arrested on Wednesday morning.
He is facing seven charges of manslaughter in connection with the fire on March 16, 2023, which killed seven people: Charlie Lacroix, 18; Walid Belkahla, 18; An Wu, 31; Saniya Khan, 31; Dania Zafar, 31; Nathan Sears, 35; and Camille Maheux, 76.
Benamor is also facing eight charges of criminal negligence causing injury, after nine others were injured in the blaze.
Six people escaped unharmed.
After appearing in court Wednesday afternoon via videoconference from jail, a judge agreed to release Benamor on a $10,000 bail. He must abide by several conditions, including no communication with the victims and their families, to not leave the country without notifying the police first, and to maintain his properties in good condition and ensure they comply with fire safety code regulations.
He is scheduled to return to court in April.
Seven victims who died in the Old Montreal fire identified:
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An Wu An Wu, 31, was one of the victims of the Old Montreal fire on March 16, 2023.
Saniya Khan Saniya Khan, 31, has died following the fire at a building in Old Montreal on March 16, 2026.
Dania Zafar Dania Zafar, shown in a handout photo, was one of the people who died in the fire that swept through an Old Montreal building on March 16, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Zafar Mahmood)
Camille Maheux A photo of Camille Maheux, 76, at a memorial at the Place d'Youville building in Old Montreal. (CTV News)
Walid Belkahla Walid Belkahla, 18, died in the Old Montreal fire that claimed seven lives on March 16. (Supplied Photo)
Nathan Sears Nathan Sears, 35, died in the Old Montreal fire on March 16, 2023. His thesis supervisor, Steven Bernstein, remembered him as 'a wonderful human being.' (Source: Facebook)
Charlie Lacroix. Photo non datée. Charlie Lacroix in an undated photo.
Benamor’s lawyer said his client was shocked by the arrest.
“Three years after, it’s a surprise,” lawyer Alexandre Bergevin said, but declined further comment.
After his court appearance, Benamor left the police station covering his face and declining to answer questions from reporters.
Emile Benamor Émile Benamor covers his face as he leaves the Montreal police station after being granted bail on manslaughter charges on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (CTV News)
Lucas Bastien, a spokesperson for the Crown prosecution office, said the arrest took this long because it was a complex investigation.
“We also had to request new steps in the investigation from police and the analysis was also something that took some time,” he told reporters.
Bastien also said he expects the case to proceed swiftly in the court because the Crown chose to proceed by direct indictment, which eliminates the need for a preliminary inquiry.
This means the jury trial can start sooner, he added.
Safety violations
Following the deadly blaze, numerous questions were raised about safety violations in the Place d’Youville building, a heritage structure known as the William-Watson-Ogilvie Building.
It originally housed offices for a flour mill and was gradually converted into a residential building between the late 1960s and the 1980s.
On the day of the fire, six of the seven victims were staying in illegal short-term rentals, including Airbnbs.
The building had a total of 15 units.
Old Montreal fire A memorial is established three years after a deadly 2023 fire at a building in Old Montreal, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (Véronique Dubé/Noovo Info)
A father of one of the victims, Charlie Lacroix, previously told CTV News that his 18-year-old daughter was trapped in a unit that had no windows to escape from, while a survivor said she didn’t hear the fire alarm go off in her semi-basement unit.
Other witnesses have raised questions about safety, including whether smoke detectors were working and if there were properly marked emergency exits.
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Old Montreal Fire, A makeshift memorial is shown at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, The charred remains of a heritage building is shown in Old Montreal, Saturday, March 18, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Workers remove rubble from a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames on Thursday, March 16. Four bodies have been recovered and several remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, Investigators survey the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, Investigators survey the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal A worker is shown next to a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal A police officer hugs a woman near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal A crane suspends workers as they remove rubble from a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames on Thursday, March 16. Four bodies have been recovered and several remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, A makeshift memorial is shown at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, A woman kneels next to a makeshift memorial at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, Investigators and firefighters are shown at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Saturday, March 18, 2023, that gutted the heritage building. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, Investigators and firefighters survey the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, Investigators and firefighters are shown at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Saturday, March 18, 2023, that gutted the heritage building. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal A police officer hugs a woman near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Fire, People bring flowers to a makeshift memorial at the scene following a fire in Old Montreal, Sunday, March 19, 2023, that gutted a heritage building. Several people are still unaccounted for. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal People hug near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante speaks to the media Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal The search continues Monday, March 27, 2023 at the scene of a fire in a heritage building in Old Montreal. Police say two more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of a building that caught fire March 16 in Old Montreal, bringing the death toll to seven. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal A woman places flowers at a makeshift memorial as firefighters continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters enter the building as they continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters enter the building as they continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal The search continues Monday, March 27, 2023 at the scene of fire in a heritage building in Old Montreal. Police say two more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of a building that caught fire March 16 in Old Montreal, bringing the death toll to seven. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal The site of a fire in Old Montreal that killed six people staying in unlicensed short-term rentals sits behind fencing, Thursday, August 3, 2023. A crackdown on unlicensed tourist rentals in Quebec could put properties back on the housing market and push hotel prices up, even as some hosts attempt to evade the bans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Old Montreal Firefighters enter the building as they continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Fire Chief Martin Guilbeault, left, Montreal police inspector David Shane, centre, and police spokesperson Julien Levesque, right, arrive for a press briefing Monday, March 27, 2023 in Montreal. Police say two more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of a building that caught fire March 16 in Old Montreal, bringing the death toll to seven. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters enter the building as they continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal A firefighter takes a break near a makeshift memorial as the search for victims continues Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal The site of a fire in Old Montreal that killed six people staying in unlicensed short-term rentals sits behind fencing, Thursday, August 3, 2023. A crackdown on unlicensed tourist rentals in Quebec could put properties back on the housing market and push hotel prices up, even as some hosts attempt to evade the bans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Old Montreal The search continues Monday, March 27, 2023 at the scene of a fire in a heritage building in Old Montreal. Police say two more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of a building that caught fire March 16 in Old Montreal, bringing the death toll to seven. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal A “For Rent” sign is posted on the site of a fire in Old Montreal that killed six people staying in unlicensed short-term rentals, Thursday, August 3, 2023. A crackdown on unlicensed tourist rentals in Quebec could put properties back on the housing market and push hotel prices up, even as some hosts attempt to evade the bans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing. in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal The site of a fire in Old Montreal that killed six people staying in unlicensed short-term rentals sits behind fencing, Thursday, August 3, 2023. A crackdown on unlicensed tourist rentals in Quebec could put properties back on the housing market and push hotel prices up, even as some hosts attempt to evade the bans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Old Montreal A lawsuit has been filed by the owner of an Old Montreal building where seven people perished in a fatal fire last March. The search continues Monday, March 27, 2023 at the scene of a fire in a heritage building in Old Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal Firefighters continue the search for victims Monday, March 20, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal fire A worker is shown next to a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal fire A crane suspends workers as they remove rubble from a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames on Thursday, March 16. Four bodies have been recovered and several remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal fire Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal fire Flowers and messages are shown at a makeshift memorial near the site of a building that was gutted by a fire in Montreal, Thursday, March 23, 2023. The heritage building went up in flames last week. Four bodies have been recovered and three people remain missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Old Montreal fire Firefighters enter the building as they continue the search for victims Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the scene of last week’s fire that left one person dead and six people missing in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Old Montreal fire The search continues Monday, March 27, 2023 at the scene of a fire in a heritage building in Old Montreal. Police say two more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of a building that caught fire March 16 in Old Montreal, bringing the death toll to seven. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Shortly after the fire, police reported finding traces of an accelerant at the scene, which they believed could explain why the flames spread so quickly.
Wednesday, Shane confirmed that two investigations into the incident are ongoing: one by the SPVM major crimes unit into the intentional setting of the fire and a second by the force’s arson and explosives squad looking at the owner’s negligence in managing the building.
He added that Benamor has not been accused of having anything to do with the fire itself.
Owner of Old Montreal buildings where 9 died in fires facing new $3,300 fine over fire escapes The owner of two Old Montreal buildings where nine people died in separate fires has been fined after being found guilty of failing to maintain emergency exits.
Second fire
On Oct. 4, 2024, another building owned by Benamor was set on fire, killing French tourist Léonor Geraudie and her seven-year-old daughter, Vérane Reynaud-Geraudie.
Two others were injured in the incident, which erupted on the ground floor before spreading to the upper two levels, which housed a hostel.
Two men, Justin Fortier-Trahan, 20, and Juventino Hernandez Pelaez, 18, were later arrested and charged with second-degree murder and other charges in that case.
With files from CTV News’ Joe Lofaro and The Canadian Press
