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The gruesome discovery of human skeletal remains in the ceiling of a Westmount basement last week by a contractor has so far involved police, the coroner and Quebec’s crime lab. But the bones have been there for at least five decades and possibly as many as eight and it’s not clear how much will ultimately come to light.

Geneviève Guilbault of the provincial coroner’s office, who confirmed Tuesday that the bones are human, said that “tests are underway to try to determine their age.” But considering the condition of the bones, she said, that could be complicated.

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The bones, found wrapped in newspaper dating back to the Duplessis era, looked to be those of a very small child, the worker said. They fell from the ceiling in the Victoria Ave. home on Jan. 18 after the worker, who was removing asbestos insulation in the furnace room, pried off a section of the ceiling that was secured with nails, he told Cogeco Nouvelles.

Police were called and an investigation launched. “For now, it is an investigation of bones that were found,” said Montreal police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant late Tuesday afternoon.

The semi-detached house where the bones were found was built in 1910 and its current owners have been there since 1978. They were understandably distraught, according to the radio report.