A rapid intervention by a municipal employee allowed the Percé fire department to quickly extinguish a fire that was smoldering in the attic.
It was the National Holiday, it was just before 5 p.m. when the fire alarm went off at the Val-d’Espoir church. The alarm also sounded in the presbytery where Christophe La Franc, cultural coordinator of the City of Percé, was located. Without delay, he alerted the firefighters. Ten minutes later, the Percé fire department arrived on scene.
Smoke was coming from the roof.
As the area is not supplied with water, a second and then a third alarm were triggered in order to obtain reinforcements.
Given the size of the building, around thirty firefighters were required. Firefighters from Gaspé, Grande-Rivière and Chandler intervened to support the Percé team. The last units left the scene around 9:30 p.m.
According to the director of the Percé fire department, Éric Fugère, the fire started in the attic.
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It was a municipal employee, Christophe Le Franc, who heard the fire alarm, which allowed the firefighters to intervene quickly.
Photo: Christophe Le Franc
The fire chief believes that without rapid intervention, the fire could have expanded quickly. We must not forget that a fire doubles in intensity every minute
, recalls Mr. Fugère. The cause of the fire was, according to him, electrical in origin.
The church suffered minor water and smoke damage. The fire department director estimates the damage at around $50,000.
The building is still used for worship. The church is expected to be closed for some time for cleaning and repairs.
With information from Pierre-Gabriel Turgeon
