An 81-year-old man lost his life and an elderly woman was seriously injured in a fire that broke out early Saturday morning in the Sainte-Foy area of ​​Quebec.

Firefighters intervened around 6:35 a.m. at 755 Jacques-Berthiaume Street, said the Quebec City Fire Department.

Nearly 35 firefighters fought the blaze at the scene after receiving an alert from the working fire alarm. The blaze was brought under control around 8 a.m.

The victims were taken to a hospital where the man died and the woman is in critical condition.

Investigators from the fire department and the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) went to the scene to try to determine the causes and circumstances of the event.