A four-alarm fire broke out at the historic St. Anne’s Anglican Church in Toronto, Canada on Sunday morning, and police are now trying to determine the cause of the devastating blaze, which has added to the list of church fires recorded across the country.
This highly revered place of worship is home to the Group of Seven and Toronto Sun Reports.
It may be the only stained glass window remaining from St. Anne’s Anglican Church in Toronto after it was destroyed by fire. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
“Toronto police responded to a report of a fire at a church on Gladstone Street, west of downtown, around 8 a.m., with windows broken and heavy smoke coming from the building,” news outlets reported.
Senior reporter Joe Warmington quickly arrived on the scene and documented what happened, which he shared on X (formerly Twitter).
We are deeply saddened by the loss of St. Anne’s Church, which still burns today. pic.twitter.com/bE6nyTUMR9
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) June 9, 2024
The Toronto Fire Department also said that a portion of an adjacent building was evacuated on X-day “as a safety precaution.” Sun report.
“The main body of the fire has been contained and fire crews are working to extinguish it,” the Fire Department’s X account posted just before 10 a.m. “No injuries. Fire crews and traffic are expected to remain on scene. Please avoid the area if possible.”
Video quickly emerged showing how the fire broke out inside the church, which has stood proudly for more than 100 years.
Here’s a great video taken by Mark Mazurek at 8:47am of the destroyed St. Ann Church. pic.twitter.com/xKVvMdFFgX
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) June 9, 2024
Toronto Fire Department spokesman Capt. Deepak Chagger said police and investigators are “working hard” to determine the cause of the fire, but it’s unclear how long the investigation will take.
The Rev. Don Beyers, parish priest at the church, Said CBC News reported on the damage caused by the fire, saying the congregation was “devastated.”
“I am devastated and I think about my mates and you can’t imagine how sad it must be to come to church on Sunday morning and see everything you’ve worked so hard for and achieved so much just disappear. [is] “It was gone within just an hour or so,” Beyers said outside the building on Sunday.
“Despite this terrible tragedy and loss, we will move forward as a church,” he said.
St. Anne’s Pastor Don Beyers (centre) speaks to media with Toronto city councillor Alejandra Bravo (left) and Deputy Director Jim Jessop (right) as the historic St. Anne’s Church is devastated by a Level 4 alert fire. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Built between 1907 and 1908 in the city’s Little Portugal neighborhood, the church is home to early paintings by three artists from the Group of Seven that were installed inside the church in the 1920s. The murals adorned the sanctuary and dome before being destroyed in a fire, according to CBC.
Beyers said “very valuable” works were lost in the fire.
“The artwork was priceless. It was a mural, a beautiful mural,” he said. “It was absolutely amazing.”
“This was the only church that had artwork by members of the Group of Seven on display, and from what I’ve seen, it seems to have been lost, unfortunately.”
St. Anne’s Anglican Church in Toronto, photographed in 2009. Founded in 1863, the church building is a National Historic Site of Canada and was constructed between 1907 and 1908 in the Byzantine Revival style, rare for an Anglican church. (Wikimedia Commons)
CBC in January report There has been a surge in church fires across the country, with at least 33 churches burning down in Canada since May 2021. So far, 24 of the fires have been confirmed to be arson.
Toronto police have set up an online portal where the public can submit photos or videos that may assist in the investigation. You can find it here.
