Firefighters respond to a five-alarm fire at Saint-Paul Catholic Church, a designated heritage site, in Montreal on Feb. 23, 2026. The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi
A fire engulfed the century-old Saint-Paul Catholic Church in Montreal in the early hours of Feb. 23, while also claiming a next-door food bank.
The fire broke out at the church, located at the corner of De l’Église Avenue and Laurendeau Street, around 1:30 a.m. A spokesperson for Montreal’s fire department, Émilie Barbeau-Charlebois, said 148 people were forced to leave the area due to the fire, including more than 70 seniors at a nearby seniors’ home.
