By The Canadian Press

Quebec teen, 15, dies after falling into silo at closed factory in Shawinigan, Que

Apr 12, 2025 | 7:39 AM

SHAWINIGAN — Quebec provincial police say a 15-year-old girl has died after a fall at the site of a shuttered factory in Shawinigan, northeast of Montreal.

One of the girl’s relatives alerted emergency services around 8:30 p.m. on Friday after the victim fell into a silo at the former Belgo factory, a paper mill that has been closed since 2008.

Sgt. Frédéric Deshaies says two youths had gone for a walk on the factory site and climbed to the top of a silo when the girl fell inside the concrete and metal structure and got trapped inside.

Local firefighters in Shawinigan, about 165 kilometres from Montreal, called their counterparts in nearby Trois-Rivières for a confined space rescue operation.

The young victim was located and freed at around 4:40 a.m. Saturday and taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

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A coroner will investigate her death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press