Home Breadcrumb caret News Breadcrumb caret Auto Historic Montreal church destroyed by fire; flames spread to adjacent retirement home Almost 150 people were evacuated from the nearby area as a precaution By The Canadian Press | February 23, 2026 | Last updated on February 23, 2026 1 min read Plus Icon Image Firefighters respond to a five-alarm fire at Saint-Paul Catholic Church, a designated heritage site, in Montreal on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi MONTREAL – A fire has destroyed a historic former church in southwestern Montreal and the flames spread to an adjacent seniors home. The fire broke out around 1:40 a.m. in the former Saint-Paul Church in the city’s Sud-Ouest borough. No one was inside the building when it caught fire but officials evacuated 148 people from the nearby area as a precaution. Among the evacuees were 73 people in the church’s former rectory, which had been converted into a seniors residence. Firefighters said the flames spread to the seniors residence after it was evacuated. The church was built between 1910-11 and is part of a heritage site comprised of a few buildings in the area. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire. Subscribe to our newsletters Subscribe Subscribe The Canadian Press Print Group 8 LinkedIn LI X (Twitter) logo Facebook Print Group 8
