Malt house south of Quebec City destroyed by fire

Malterie Caux-Laflamme, a family owned malt house in Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage, about 60 kilometres south of Quebec City in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of the province, was destroyed by a fire.

Firefighters were called shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday. Around 60 firefighters from nine different municipalities battled the blaze, but the building on Ross Road was a total loss.

It took firefighters around 10 hours to put out the flames, which lingered until 3 a.m. on Saturday.

Getting the fire under control was made more difficult by a lack of access to water in the rural area.

Three people were able to escape the burning building uninjured.

Three people were able to escape the burning building uninjured. (Submitted by Samuel Boudreault)

"The fire was in the attic. Only the aerial ladder was able to get the job done," said Yves Bilodeau of the Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage fire department.

The malt house was an important piece of the local economy. Ten people from the community of just over 1,000 residents were employed at Malterie Caux-Laflamme, which supplied malt to nearly 80 Quebec breweries and micro-distilleries.

"We're a little speechless," said Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage Mayor Samuel Boudreault. "I sympathize with the Caux-Laflamme family."

The mayor said the malt house was what made the municipality known across Quebec.

"It's really sad," said Boudreault.