On Camera: Deadly Fireworks Factory Explosion In Quebec

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June 21, 2013 - Two women died in a massive explosion on Thursday at a fireworks factory in the town of Coteau-du-Lac, located in southwestern Quebec, Canada (map). The explosion was caught on camera, and you can see videos below.

The B.E.M. fireworks plant and warehouse were completely destroyed by the fire and resulting blast. The cause of the fire is still not known. Authorities are still trying to determine why the fire started at B.E.M., which employed about two dozen people and has been in Coteau-du-Lac since 1970. There were no sprinklers in the building.

Two bodies were found in the still-smoldering ruins, reports the Montreal Gazette. "The initial explosion occurred shortly before 9 a.m., followed by smaller blasts and an intense fire that burned for three hours. Nearby residents were forced from their homes and a portion of Highway 20 west of Montreal was closed for hours." The Gazette also reports that "Fire Chief Stéphane Massicotte said a total of 14 fire departments responded to the call from as far away as Pincourt. There were 150 firefighters on the scene." In a later report, the Gazette identified the two killed in the inferno as Francine Lacroix, a 47-year-old resident of Riviere-Beaudette, and Nicole Brisson, 58, of Les Coteaux. Both women were B.E.M. employees.

In the video below, the explosion begins at 0:37

Video Below: News report from SUN News

Ministere Des Affaires Internationales Du Quebec

Big howdy (bonjour!) to Pierre Arcand, Minister of International Relations and Minister responsible for La Francophonie up in Quebec. Francophonicized, that's "Ministere Des Affaires Internationales Du Quebec." Excuse moi, Monsieur Arcand, but why does your agency monitor Chicago News Bench so faithfully? Pourquoi surveillez-vous mon site Web? Mind you, I'm not complaining. I appreciate you as a reader, but I am curious as to why you, or someone in your ministry, spends so much time nearly every day combing through this humble blog site. Aucune offense. Je suis seulement d'un ton interrogateur. Perhaps I'll stroll into your Chicago delegation at 444 N. Michigan Avenue Suite 1900 and say hello one day soon and ask them. Shouldn't you folks be spending more time working on international relations and francophonie stuff? Take your press release from January 26, for example: MONTREAL, 26 Janv. /CNW Telbec/- The Minister for the Relations international and minister responsible for the Francophonie, Mr. Pierre Arcand, the new general consul of the Federation of Russia met today with Montreal, Mr. Alexey V. Isakov. The meeting related to the exchanges between Quebec and Russia and possibilities of development of those, in particular in the cultural and educational fields. (Bad translation by BabelFish; Full release in French!) That's important stuff there, sir. Meeting with a Russian official as though Quebec is a real country. I am honored that your ministry considers Chicago News Bench worthy of your time and attention. But don't let me distract you from matters of state. Merci beaucoup! CNB RSS Feed

Quebec City: 400 Years Old Today

Happy Birthday to our frogophone neighbors up north. You're screwed up as hell, but happy celebration to you anyway. Hurry up an secede. Harper, Quebec - Premier Jean Charest, Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean and French Prime Minister François Fillon were among many dignitaries at a ceremony marking explorer Samuel de Champlain's arrival on July 3, 1608. "1608 is a historic date for you, for Quebec and for all of Canada," Harper said. "Because it was beginning on July 3, 1608, exactly 400 years ago today, that we really started becoming what we are today." FULL STORY at CBC... MORE ABOUT QUEBEC: Quebec report rings health care alarm Crunch time for public health care in Quebec Authorities target Quebec companies in scheme to fix gas prices ... Border cops seize 10 hockey bags of pot in Quebec 400 Years of Something Is multiculturalism really keeping... Vermont Edition (VPR): Quebec's uncomfortable multiculturalism Quebec parachutist dies on first jump Quebec's destiny within Canada: poll Quebec hotel workers vote on strikes Quebec police investigate body found in alleged drunk driver's vehicle Quebec man arrested in alleged sword brandishing

In Quebec: Shocking Cultural Insensitivity!!!

Tsk tsk, shame on the Canadian town of Herouxville in Quebec. The local government is being culturally insensitive to some immigrants, showing a shocking lack of tolerance for multiculturalism. I'm being sarcastic, of course, but Political Correctness continues to be exposed as a mental disorder. In Quebec, a few of the remaining sane people are making a stand against the prevailing insanity. To wit: Immigrants in this small Canadian town (population around 1,300) will not be allowed to live by their own culture's rules. For example, they will not be allowed to stone women to death in public, burn them alive or throw acid on them, according to a set of rules that the local council has released. These rules have deepened tensions in the predominantly French-speaking province over how tolerant Quebecers should be toward the customs and traditions of immigrants. Apparently, there are some Quebecers who would tolerate stoning, burning or throwing acid on women in the name of multicultural "tolerance." Fortunately, there are still a few sane persons left in Quebec, and they sit on the town council of Herouxville. In lunatic contrast, however, Premier Jean Charest said earlier this week that Quebec is a tolerant society and the town's resolution is an isolated case. Are we to take from Msr. Charest's statement that it is the norm in Quebec to allow women to be stoned to death? Well, we must be tolerant, mustn't we? If a man from County X wishes to publicly stone his wife to death, who are we to impose our values on him, eh? "We wish to inform these new arrivals that the way of life which they abandoned when they left their countries of origin cannot be recreated here," said the declaration, which makes clear women are allowed to drive, vote, dance, write checks, dress how they want, work and own property." And to not be publicly stoned to death, I would guess. Herouxville says it has received about 2,000 emails in support of its rules for immigrants. . Full story...