He spent 8 days in a coma after being rescued from a deadly Old Montreal fire

On October 4, Patrick Meguid’s last memory was retreating to his hostel room after attempting to escape through a smoke-filled exit.

The fire alarm had jolted him awake shortly after 2 a.m.

"I told myself, 'I'm going to have to move quickly,' and that’s the last thing I can recall before passing out," Meguid shared in a recent interview.

Meguid was among two people rescued by Montreal firefighters when a fire broke out at the 100-year-old, three-story building on Notre-Dame Street in Old Montreal, where he had rented a room. While 21 other occupants managed to escape, a tragic fate awaited a French mother and her daughter. Léonor Geraudie, 43, and her seven-year-old daughter, Vérane Reynaud-Geraudie—whom Meguid had just met—perished in the blaze.

The building’s owner, Émile-Haim Benamor, had also owned the Place D'Youville property in Old Montreal, where a fire in March 2023 claimed seven lives. Benamor faced sharp criticism following that tragedy for using windowless rooms as short-term rentals.

Montreal police have confirmed that both fires were acts of arson, with arrests made in connection to both incidents. However, the motives behind the attacks remain unknown. In the wake of the second fire, gunshots were reported outside Benamor’s office, and his car was torched outside his home.

The Notre-Dame building housed both a restaurant and a hostel, though other individuals were listed as their operators.

Several online reviews described the hostel, Le 402, as cramped and run-down, with multiple complaints about windowless rooms or windows that wouldn't open.

The day after the fire, Martin Guilbault, a division chief with the Montreal fire department, addressed concerns about the lack of windows. "In terms of fire safety, a window is not considered a means of escape," he told reporters.

However, Meguid believes these guidelines should be reconsidered. He noted that he had been fortunate to rent the largest suite, which had a window, and that was how firefighters were able to save him.

By the time they reached him, he had inhaled so much smoke that his lungs and bronchial tubes were coated with soot.

"It felt like drowning," Meguid recalled.

He was placed in a medically induced coma at the hospital, which lasted eight days. When he woke up on October 12, he was restrained for nearly another week due to psychosis triggered by the strong medications used during the coma. In total, he spent 20 days in the hospital.

Although Meguid escaped without burns and his lungs are beginning to heal, he continues to struggle with psychological after-effects. Insomnia plagues him, and he remains angry at those responsible for the short-term rentals, criticizing the building’s lack of escape options.

"There was no way to leave except for the fire escape, which was covered in smoke," he said.

Meguid had booked the room for three nights, while his girlfriend stayed at their studio apartment with her mother.

Another guest, German tourist Thomas Sawer, also experienced the fire firsthand. On his first trip to Canada, Sawer had rented a room at the same building. He was among those who escaped but had been assigned a windowless room. He had already decided to leave early, packing his things to check out the following morning.

Like Meguid, Sawer is haunted by the experience, suffering from insomnia and flashbacks.

"During the day, I’m tired, and during the night, I’m awake," he said from Germany.

Sawer expressed frustration over the two deadly fires occurring within such a short period, both involving properties owned by Benamor and featuring windowless short-term rentals.

"I'm torn between feeling helpless, disappointed, and angry because I think it could have been prevented," Sawer said.

For now, Meguid is unsure whether he will pursue legal action against the hostel’s owners. Instead, he is focusing on his survival.

"I am in a state of grace—it’s a miracle that I’m alive," he said.