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All Saints Orthodox Church in Meadow Lake was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived early Thursday morning, Fire Chief Joe Grela said.
Crews were dispatched shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 1 following a report of smoke and flames coming from the building. Two engines and a rescue unit responded, Grela said.
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RCMP confirmed the church was destroyed and no one was injured. Police and emergency medical services also attended.
Parishioners are mourning the loss of their spiritual home. Kent Vidal said the church building would have been 70 years old in 2028.
“It’s been there for a long time, been lovingly cared for by people for decades and decades. It’s just a shame to see that all go up like that,” he said.
The church was home to numerous pieces of artwork, icons and stained glass windows, many of which Vidal said are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
“This is a big loss for our group, but we have a hope that goes beyond the four walls of the building… grateful for that.
“We have a group of people that are committed and dedicated and want to see things continue,” he said. “So hopefully we will find some solutions, but this is just kind of the beginning steps for now.”
All Saints Orthodox Church is a small, parishioner-run congregation. Vidal said regular services can draw a couple dozen people, while attendance can increase significantly during major holidays.
“We’re starting to see a bit of an uptick in people interested in Orthodoxy and coming to attend the church and appreciate the beauty of the services,” Vidal said. “So, it’s a real shame that this happened at this time.”
A firefighter dampens hotspots after the Oct. 1 fire. (Stacey Nolin/Submitted)
Grela said the engines remained at the scene for about five hours. A crew stayed for roughly another two hours to monitor for hotspots.
Fire investigators with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire, with assistance from the local fire department.
“No cause has been determined at this point,” Grela said.
RCMP said they could not provide further information while the investigation continues, including whether the fire was suspicious.
Asked whether the fire was among the more serious the department had seen in recent years, Grela said: “No, not really. We’ve seen large structural fires and large fires in the past year, so it’s not totally uncommon.”
“It’s a loss for their church, and hopefully they can rebuild from the loss of the building,” he said.
Grela clarified during the interview that firefighters were dispatched early Thursday morning, rather than Wednesday night as previously reported.
Vidal said there will be no service this weekend as members take time to consider their next steps.
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