# Quebec Dopers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 16, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647 "2019-04-16T22:20:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/1 "2019-04-16T22:20:10Z")
Given that Montreal and Quebec city are our oldest cities and they both have cathedrals that are at least a third the age of Notre Dame, what fire prevention measures do they have in place. As in that cannot happen here right ? ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/2 "2019-04-17T17:22:35Z")
It totally could and has happened. The most recent fire of a major church was the Greek Orthodox church that was destroyed four years. A big chunk of Notre Dame Basilica burned in the '70s. One of my colleagues (I am a journalist in Montreal) spoke to a fire chief on Tuesday, and the fire department has a protocol, but not a specific plan, for the various churches. We don’t have the emergency action plan (save the people, make a human chain for the art, etc…) that was in place in Paris. These are old buildings with lots and lots of wood and other flammable materials and no easy way to improve fire safety. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/3 "2019-04-17T21:34:12Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > It totally could and has happened. The most recent fire of a major church was the Greek Orthodox church that was destroyed four years. A big chunk of Notre Dame Basilica burned in the '70s. > > One of my colleagues (I am a journalist in Montreal) spoke to a fire chief on Tuesday, and the fire department has a protocol, but not a specific plan, for the various churches. We don’t have the emergency action plan (save the people, make a human chain for the art, etc…) that was in place in Paris. > > These are old buildings with lots and lots of wood and other flammable materials and no easy way to improve fire safety. Thanks for the reply Barbarian, not the answer I was hoping for obviously. I think the oldest structure in Ontario that might be close enough in Age to the churches in Quebec would be the Martyr’s Shrine just near me actually. I will drop them an email and enquire. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/4 "2019-04-17T22:48:00Z")
Both Episcopal churches in Topeka, Kansas, one of which is the cathedral for the diocese, have gone up in flames, and both were arson fires, sad to say. > **[History Guy recalls Topeka’s Grace Cathedral fire in 1975](https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2017/11/23/history-guy-recalls-topeka-s-grace-cathedral-fire-1975/15353766007/)** > > Topeka’s Grace Episcopal Cathedral was devastated the day before Thanksgiving in 1975 by a raging arson fire, which did an estimated $3 million in damage. Capital-Journal reporter Tim Hrenchir, the “… The above link is to a short video about the fire and reconstruction. I remember how two celebrities came to Topeka and put on fund raising shows. Edith Head did a fashion show, wish I could have been there. And Bob Hope himself did a show, for which a lot of money was raised. Of course Grace does not begin to approach old, as such things go in Europe, but it was beautiful It is beautiful again I am happy to note, just not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/5 "2019-04-18T02:18:01Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Of course Grace does not begin to approach old, as such things go in Europe, but it was beautiful It is beautiful again I am happy to note, just not the same. Yeah, for the states I would put South Carolina and Virginia for having anything remotely approaching Europe old. What goes through the mind of someone that wants to torch such a building. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quebec-dopers/832647/6 "2019-04-18T12:33:27Z")
When a Montreal organist set fire to a church (killing several people) it was a suicide attempt. [Coolopolis: 20 th anniversary of Unitarian church blaze - new condos slated](http://coolopolis.blogspot.com/2007/01/you-see-that-beautiful-building-on.html)