Greek church in Montreal lost to fire

April 14, 2015
Written by E.Tsiliopoulos

Montreal firefighters were unable to save Koimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church despite battling the blaze in Park Extension for hours Monday evening.

They were called to the church, at 7700 De L'Épée, just after 8 p.m.By 9:30 p.m., as flames spread through the two-storey building, it was escalated to a three-alarm fire.

In a video shot and posted on You Tube by Montrealer Domenico Ferrara, flames are seen bursting out of the church.

The stained glass windows can be heard shattering, as onlookers yell and cry.

"To see the church destroyed like this is terrible...People are truly in mourning.This is catastrophic. I'm in shock," said Nicholas Pagonis, president of The Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

The church was evacuated and no one was injured.

Firefighters got the fire under control by around 11:30 p.m.