Overview
- The blaze ignited around 1:30–1:40 a.m. and gutted the century-old church in the Sud-Ouest borough.
- Flames spread to the former rectory converted into a retirement home, prompting the evacuation of roughly 150 people, including 73 seniors, with no injuries reported.
- The Canadian Red Cross says about 150 residents were taken into care following the evacuation.
- A food bank based in the church since 2013 was destroyed, disrupting service for roughly 200 families each week as its director reports losing key equipment and seeks a new location.
- Built in 1910–1911 by architect Joseph-Arthur Godin and part of the Côte-Saint-Paul heritage site, the landmark’s damage is being assessed as investigators work to determine where and how the fire started.