A fire has destroyed the historic former Saint-Paul Church in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough.

The Montreal Fire Department (SIM) informed local media outlets that a 911 call was received shortly before 2 a.m. on Feb 23, and 100 firefighters were immediately dispatched.

What started off as a blaze escalated into a five-alarm fire that spread to the adjacent former rectory, which had been converted into a seniors’ residence.

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Seventy-three of the 148 people evacuated were from the retirement home. All evacuees received assistance from the Red Cross. There were no reported injuries.

The La Main Qui Partage food bank was using the former house of worship's basement as a base of operations. Every food item stored within the building — including in two commercial freezers purchased in recent weeks — was lost to the flames.

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The church was constructed between 1910 and 1911 and is part of a heritage site comprising a few buildings in the area.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

Maribel Mayorga, the Archdiocese of Montreal’s director of communications and media relations, said “At this time, information remains limited as we await confirmed details from those on the ground. Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of all involved. The Diocese is in communication with local authorities to better understand the circumstances surrounding the incident."

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Sud-Ouest borough Mayor Véronique Fournier commended first responders for their quick response and lamented the loss of Saint-Paul Church.

“This building is located in the historic heart of Côte-St-Paul and holds special significance for many of us: members of our community have been married there and have celebrated important life events,” Fournier wrote. “This church is central to our memories, an important place for our neighbourhood, and its loss is immense for our community.”