A surveillance camera saw a masked someone pouring liquid out of a gas can, setting it on fire, and then making their way off foot from Regina’s Blessed Sacrament Parish.
The church’s pastor, James Hentges, shared the footage on social media.
“I saw it all moments after it took place, by smart cam, and I was shocked,” Hentges told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
“I became really frightened when I noticed smoke entering the house through other cameras. Upon viewing the film afterwards, my level of discomfort increased.”
Firefighters were summoned to the church at 2049 Scarth St. at about 3:40 a.m. CST on February 9, according to a news release from Regina police. They located the rear door of the church.
Hentges stated that although the fire did not spread far, it will probably need to repair the wall close to the door.
According to Hentges, the church recently installed fire detectors, which notified the fire brigade of the fire.
He indicated that it seemed to be a premeditated act rather than an impulsive one, but he refrained from speculating as to why the person may have ignited the fire.
The Loraas garbage bin was set on fire and the church was vandalized before, according to Hentges, “but nothing quite as dramatic or as astonishing as this.” Friday morning’s fire is not the first time the facility has been vandalized.
The parish’s website states that there won’t be a scheduled Eucharist and that the Saturday service has been postponed.
