Thick smoke filled the freezing night's sky on the South Shore as a large fire engulfed a large industrial building in La Prairie.
The flames broke out inside an Eco services centre on Jean-Marie Langlois St. near Taschereau Blvd. and Highway 15 at about 10:35 P.M. Wednesday.
By the time firefighters arrived at the scene the inferno had caused major damage to the structure. Parts of the recycling centre had collapsed and access to the inside was difficult.
About 50 firefighters from La Prairie and surrounding municipalities spent several hours battling not only the intense flames but the bitter cold as well. With the wind, temperatures were around -30 most of the night.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.