Rescuers in Quebec are trying to melt the ice encasing the rubble of a charred seniors' home Friday as they search for victims of a blaze that killed at least eight people and left about 30 missing. Authorities said Friday afternoon that the death toll in the fire had risen to eight from five, after firefighters and police officers put out the last traces of the blaze at the Residence du Havre in L’Isle-Verte overnight. Three teams, including forensic technicians and experts from the coroner’s office, were rotating in shifts because of extreme cold. Authorities haven’t determined the cause of the fire, which erupted about 12:30 a.m. Thursday and according to neighbors spread rapidly. They are trying to verify if all of the 52-unit home’s residents were at the three-story complex during the fire and if they had overnight visitors, according to authorities.
