Quebec pounded by winter storm

PREMIER ACKNOWLEDGES NEED FOR BETTER RESPONSE

Heavy snow continued to fall Wednesday as Quebec emergency crews struggled to cope with a fatal winter storm that paralyzed traffic and left hundreds of motorists stranded in their cars overnight.

Environment Canada said southwestern, central and eastern Quebec remained under storm warnings after more than 35 centimetres of snow were dumped on Montreal by early Wednesday morning.

One commuter, Sergio Barile, said he and his wife finally made it to their home in Montreal’s Saint-Laurent borough at 2 a.m. Wednesday after a nightmarish eight-hour commute with a toddler.

Barile said he left his home at 6:45 p.m. to help his wife, who was stuck on the road only about two kilometres from home with the couple’s 21-monthold daughter, Layla.

“We were one exit from the house but nothing was moving,” said Barile.

He said they were lucky both the couple’s vehicles had enough gas but the experience was very stressful.

“If it wasn’t for the baby we would have left the cars and gone (on foot)” he said.

Other areas of Quebec were also hit hard, with provincial police saying two men died after spending more than eight hours in their snow-buried vehicle in the Chaudiere-Appalaches region near Quebec City.

Police say a 911 call was made at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, at the height of the storm.

Police officers and ambulance officials were unable to get to the car because of the extreme weather conditions, said Lt. Martine Asselin.

A second rescue operation was attempted with the help of snowmobiles but the vehicles became stuck.

Searchers found the two corpses when they arrived at the scene at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

It was not clear whether the two men died because of the cold or from carbon-monoxide poisoning.