Flames engulf historic Montreal church, spread to retirement home next door

A historic church in Montreal has been misplaced after a significant hearth erupted on the constructing.

The century-old Saint-Paul Catholic Church within the Sud-Ouest borough burned to the bottom early Monday morning, with plumes of smoke nonetheless billowing from the rubble.

A five-alarm hearth was reported simply after 1:30 a.m., with flames lighting up the sky.

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In keeping with Montreal hearth crews, nobody was injured in the course of the incident however as a result of problem containing the blaze, a neighbouring retirement residence was evacuated as flames additionally unfold to the constructing.

The Canadian Purple Cross says about 150 residents from the world had been taken into care. Amongst these evacuated had been 73 individuals from the retirement residence, which had been transformed from the church’s former rectory.

The church has been vacant for years, however was nonetheless thought of a staple of the group because it was in-built 1910. It’s a part of a heritage website comprised of some buildings within the space.

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The extent of the harm to the church is being assessed by hearth officers. An investigation can be underway into the reason for the fireplace and the place it began.

— With a file from World Information’ Brayden Jagger Haines and The Canadian Press


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