Notre-Dame Basilica fire deemed electrical, not arson: police

A man walks by charred construction equipment at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, after a fire at the historic site. Police say arson investigators were at the scene this morning and determined the fire's origin was electrical. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Christmas masses at Notre-Dame Basilica in Old Montreal will be able to take place as planned starting on Sunday evening.

A fire that broke out in a construction zone during the night caused more fear than harm, the police said.

The Montreal police (SPVM) arson squad is no longer referring to it as an "arson fire" but rather as an electrical fire.

Emergency services were alerted at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning when a 911 call was received about a fire alarm going off. 

Firefighters were already on the scene, at the intersection of Notre-Dame and Saint-Sulpice streets, when police arrived.

The flames started in scaffolding on the building's construction site.

"The firefighters found traces of accelerant," the SPVM said at the start of the response, adding that there was "no damage to the building."

"The place is very popular with tourists, but also with homeless people, of whom there are many in the area. Investigators from the SPVM's arson unit went to the scene early this morning. They carried out an assessment of the scene and agreed that the fire was not arson-related, but electrical in nature," said SPVM spokesperson Constable Véronique Dubuc.  

HISTORIC SITE

Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica is classified as a National Historic Site of Canada.

It was built in the 1820s.

It has been undergoing restoration work since 2020, and is a popular tourist destination.

The church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1982 by Pope John Paul II, who visited it in September 1984.

"On many occasions, thousands of people have gathered inside or in front of the church to pay their last respects to important figures such as Maurice Richard and Pierre Trudeau in 2000. There have also been more joyous and sumptuous occasions, such as the wedding of Céline Dion and René Angélil, or the slightly more discreet wedding of hockey player Mario Lemieux," says its entry in Quebec's cultural heritage directory.

Burn marks are shown at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, after a fire at the historic site. Police say arson investigators were at the scene this morning and determined the fire's origin was electrical. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 24, 2023.