Police are investigating a suspicious fire at TofinoB次元官网网址檚 St. Columba Anglican Church.
The fire was reported just after 4 a.m. on Friday, July 2, according to a statement from the RCMP.
B次元官网网址淭his church has been in Tofino for over 100 years and is of significant historical importance to the community,B次元官网网址� said BC RCMP spokesperson Sergeant Chris Manseau. B次元官网网址淚nvestigators are aware of the recent church fires occurring around the province, and will share information with them to determine if there is a link, however at this time there is nothing indicating so.B次元官网网址�
By the time police arrived at the scene, the fire was under control and contained to a small portion of the church thanks to the efforts of the Tofino Volunteer Fire Department which was successful in preventing major structural damage, according to the statement.
The church is located on Second Street and no other structures were damaged.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 fortunate that the damage was limited to one small area of the church, and the fire departmentB次元官网网址檚 quick response time likely saved the remainder,B次元官网网址� Sgt Manseau said.
RCMP assisted with boarding up the church and have reached out to fire investigators for assistance. Anyone who may have information about the fire is being asked to contact the Tofino RCMP at
The churchB次元官网网址檚 lay canon Whitey Bernard heaped praise on the volunteer firefighters who saved the historic building.
B次元官网网址淭he Tofino Volunteer Fire Department did an absolutely exemplary job of putting that fire out,B次元官网网址� Bernard told the Westerly B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淭hey didnB次元官网网址檛 get one drop of water inside the building, even though the fire had burned right through the wall. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a very professional performance by them to nip this thing when they didB次元官网网址nother five minutes and we would probably have lost the whole thing.B次元官网网址�
Bernard said emails were sent out to the churchB次元官网网址檚 congregation to advise them of the fire.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 vandalism. ItB次元官网网址檚 a hate crime,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople are sad and people are a bit confused about the whys and why our church would be targeted. Basically, theyB次元官网网址檙e just sad about it all. I donB次元官网网址檛 detect a lot of anger or, B次元官网网址楲etB次元官网网址檚 get evenB次元官网网址� or anything like that. People are just really sad and depressed over the whole issue.B次元官网网址�
Tofino mayor Dan Law, who is a member of the St. Columba congregation and has led a family service at the church with his wife Molly, noted arson has not been confirmed and said he would be B次元官网网址渆xtremely disappointedB次元官网网址� if the fire was set intentionally.
B次元官网网址淚f arson was the cause of the fire then people need to realize that this type of behaviour is just completely unacceptable and thereB次元官网网址檚 no excuse for burning churches or burning anybodyB次元官网网址檚 property or targeting people,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f this was an intentional act aimed at this small anglican congregation, then thatB次元官网网址檚 a very, very, very serious concern for everybody.B次元官网网址�
He said heB次元官网网址檚 been following comments about the fire posted to social media and a B次元官网网址渧ast majorityB次元官网网址� of commenters have suggested B次元官网网址渧iolence is not the answer,B次元官网网址� though others seem to be condoning it.
B次元官网网址淚 certainly hope that people realize that violent acts and destructive acts such as arson or violence against people based on any qualifier, whether itB次元官网网址檚 race or religion or gender is just completely unacceptable and that goes across the board,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what we as Canadians aspire to, to defeat that kind of thinking, that itB次元官网网址檚 okay to be violent towards a specific group or a specific people based on any external or internal identifier. Quite honestly, the danger across the province and across Canada is that people will condone violent acts and theyB次元官网网址檒l excuse certain violent acts over others because of whatever qualifier people can come up with and that has to be stopped. It has to be acknowledged that this is a very, very significant and troubling problem.B次元官网网址�
He added St. ColumbaB次元官网网址檚 congregation has been active in raising funds for a variety of causes, including reconciliation.
B次元官网网址淚 know online some people have excused the possibility of arson based on this being a church and IB次元官网网址檇 just like to point out that this small congregation did raise money years ago to fund the dismantling of the residential school in Alert Bay specifically and thereB次元官网网址檚 been quite a lot of action towards reconciliation,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hese are real people who are donating their time and finances to try to make the community a better place.B次元官网网址�
Bernard said the St. Columba congregation has roughly 40 members on the church roll and the townB次元官网网址檚 Christian community is tight-knit, noting St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Tofino Bible Fellowship reached out in support of St. Columba after the fire.
B次元官网网址淭he Christian community in Tofino is well connected together. We donB次元官网网址檛 all worship in the same place and of course thereB次元官网网址檚 some different views on things, but weB次元官网网址檙e all part of the community and weB次元官网网址檙e all friends within the community,B次元官网网址� Bernard said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really the whole church community thatB次元官网网址檚 been affected.B次元官网网址�
He added St. Columba plays an important role in the community.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of respect for St. Columba within the community. People that donB次元官网网址檛 attend but certainly show up on high days and holy days and Remembrance Day and all that sort of thing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a lot bigger than it appears when you say thereB次元官网网址檚 just 35-40 people on the church roll.B次元官网网址�
He said the church is insured and the structural damage will be repaired.
St. Columba is currently between ministers and has not held a Sunday service since the start of the coronavirus pandemic over a year ago.
Bernard said a new minister is expected to arrive later this summer and the church hopes to begin services again in September.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Like us on and follow us on
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
