A fire destroyed the historic former Saint-Paul Church in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough early Feb. 23 after a caller alerted authorities shortly before 2 a.m. According to the Catholic Register, the Montreal Fire Department dispatched approximately 100 firefighters as the blaze escalated into a five-alarm fire and spread to a nearby former rectory now used as a seniors’ residence.
A total of 148 people were evacuated, including 73 residents from the retirement home. Officials said all evacuees received assistance from the Red Cross and that no injuries were reported.
The La Main Qui Partage food bank, which operated from the church basement, lost all stored food, including items kept in two commercial freezers purchased in recent weeks. Officials confirmed that the flames caused extensive damage to the building’s structure.
Constructed between 1910 and 1911, the church was part of a recognised heritage site in the Côte-St-Paul neighbourhood. Authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. Archdiocese spokesperson Maribel Mayorga said the diocese’s priority remained the safety and well-being of those affected. She added that officials were awaiting confirmed information from local authorities.