SA国际影视传媒

Skip to content

Emergency response at downtown church draws crowd

Emergency responders attended the Co-Cathedral of St. Patrick in downtown Yellowknife approximately 30 minutes into July 1.
25689887_web1_210702-YEL-ChurchFire_2
No flames were immediately visible to the church though emergency responders remained on scene for over an hour. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo

Emergency responders attended the Co-Cathedral of St. Patrick in downtown Yellowknife approximately 30 minutes into July 1.

The City of Yellowknife Fire Division (YKFD), , medics and the Municipal Enforcement Division (MED) responded to a call for fire response at around 12:30 a.m.

No flames were visible from the downtown church though emergency responders made use of the fire hydrant at the corner of 52 Avenue and 53 Street across from BrunoSA国际影视传媒檚 Pizza.

Bystanders gathered in nearby corners to watch vested responders enter the churchSA国际影视传媒檚 side door on 53 Street with at least one responder at the front entrance on 52 Avenue.

One stain-glass window was broken on the side of the building.

A stained-glass window was broken in the July 1 fire at the church. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo
A stained-glass window was broken in the July 1 fire at the church. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo

Though no one from the on-scene authorities were authorized to speak with media, bystanding residents shared suspicions of an arson attack on the church.

Chris Wood lives in a nearby condo and heard the sirens arrive on scene.

SA国际影视传媒淚f it was on purpose I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 sad,SA国际影视传媒 Wood said, adding that a beef against the church is one thing, but that the act endangers the surrounding houses and dozens of residents in the neighbourhood.

In the wake of the recent discoveries of unmarked graves by former residential schools, at least eight fires have broken out in churches across the country. Five in British Columbia, two in Alberta and one about 65 kilometres northeast of Halifax in Nova Scotia.

Wood, a member of the St. Patrick church for over a decade, said the congregation SA国际影视传媒渆xpected if it was going to be anything that it was going to be tonight or tomorrow,SA国际影视传媒 though he repeated his comments were merely speculative.

Though details on the emergency are not yet known, bystanders speculated an arson attack on the church as the newest in a string of church fires across the country. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo
Though details on the emergency are not yet known, bystanders speculated an arson attack on the church as the newest in a string of church fires across the country. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo

Approached on scene, Father Marek Pisarek declined to comment on the Canada Day emergency.

A representative with the Office of the Fire Marshal arrived on scene at approximately 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

This story will be updated.

25689887_web1_210702-YEL-ChurchFire_4
Two vehicles from the Yellowknife Fire Division attended the scene and made use of the fire hydrant at the corner of 52 avenue and 53 street across from BrunoSA国际影视传媒檚 Pizza. Natalie Pressman/NNSL photo




(or

SA国际影视传媒

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }