MONTREAL РA total of 11 people were transported to hospital early Wednesday morning after a fire broke out in a three-storey apartment building on Van Horne Ave. in C̫te des Neiges.

Four of the victims, including two children, suffered severe smoke inhalation and were listed in critical condition as of 6:30 a.m.

According to Montreal fire department operations chief Luc Robillard, the fire appears to have started in a storage area in the basement of the 17-unit building at 2500 Van Horne Ave. around 1:45 a.m. When firefighters arrived on the scene, there was already heavy smoke billowing up through the stairwells and corridors. There were no fire alarms sounding when emergency crews arrived, Robillard said.

The fire was quickly brought under control and the damages to the building were minor, but between 40 and 50 people had to be evacuated. Some of them had been overcome by the smoke and were unconscious when firefighters got to them, Robillard said, and ambulance crews worked to revive several people at the scene.

It is not clear if the four most seriously injured victims, ages 7, 13, 20 and 30, are all from one family, Robillard said.

The Montreal police department is now involved in the investigation, but there is no indication that the blaze was set deliberately, he added. Officials suspect it could have been an electrical fire.

“Our investigators will be on the scene today attempting to determine the cause of this event,” said Montreal police Constable Simon Delorme.