Effort to get Montreal church fire under control hampered by sub-zero temperatures

About 150 Montreal firefighters were out in the frigid coldearly Sunday, battling an abandoned church fire in the borough of VilleraySaint-MichelParc-Extension.

The fire affected the rectory of the vacant Saint-Bernardin-de-Sienne Church, which is located at 7979 8th Avenue at the corner of Crmazie Boulevard. Authorities were called to the scene at 3:30 a.m.

With structural concerns and water freezing quickly when sprayed, firefighters were faced with a challenging situation, said Ian Ritchie, chief of operations with the Montreal fire department.

"You have to understand, we work with water. It sprays on everyone and freezes so they are unable to move," he told Radio-Canada. He said the department's equipment was also freezing.

"It's extremely difficult."

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That is why so many firefighters were deployed, he explained, so they could rotate those on duty and keep warm.

The church is located near a fire stationand the chief said it took about a minute for authorities to arrive on the scene.

As they arrived, Ritchie said they quickly discoveredthe fire was in the residence, also known as the rectory,located behind the church.

Firefighters remained outside of the building rather than risk entering an abandoned structure, Ritchie said, as they were concerned it would collapse.

"We have a speciality team that is onsite," he said. "They go inside the church to make sure the fire doesn't spread from the residence into the church itself."

There was a partial roof collapse in the rectory, he said, but the fire has been prevented from spreading to the rest of the site and it was under control by 6:30 a.m.

However, because of the partialroof collapse, the fire continued to smolder into the morning.Ritchie said firefighters will be on the scene for most of the day, keeping the fire under control.

Church is a heritage site

Built in the 1950s, the church's prominent white roof and detached bell tower is easily seen from Highway 40 as it is just across the street from theraised roadway.

The church is a heritage site, though it has beenclosed since 2013.

The church was part of a post-Second World War movement to expand the Catholic Church's reach into Montreal communities, said Dinu Bumbaru, spokesperson for Hritage Montral.

"It's a rather interesting church in terms of modern architecture, which remains in connection with tradition," said Bumbaru, citing the church's concrete, vaulted roof.

"In terms of artwork, we're talking of mosaics, stained glass and sculpture."

A church in those days, he said, was not just a shelter. It was a community hubbringing together art and other talents. The fire, he said, is unfortunate news that highlights the need to preserve the increasing number of empty churches across the city.

"This is not the first time the point has been raised: How can we secure the building? Is there a technology or system for moth balling and monitoring [the building] while discussions are happening for its future?" Bumbaru said.

"Otherwise we have a building that is exposed to the risk of fire or vandalism."