Protecting churches from the risk of fire was what Ecclesiastical was set up to do back in 1887. And while the risks we manage may have changed, fire remains an ever-present threat.
In 2018, a more than 100-year-old church was engulfed in flames and totally destroyed. As the church was at the heart of a small town, the community was devastated, and we knew it was important to respond quickly.
Less than thirty months after the fire, the church was ready to re-open its doors to worshippers once more. The speed of the rebuild was the result of a remarkable team effort. Throughout this time, our claims team held numerous bilingual meetings with the architect, engineers, church leaders and, most importantly, the community to ensure that the finished church met with everyone’s approval.
One of the saddest losses was some beautiful stained-glass windows, so our claims team immediately set to work to try and find replacements. After painstaking research, they managed to track down some wonderful old stained-glass windows from churches that were due for closure.
The church is situated in an isolated location, prone to frequent power cuts, a new comfort centre was built in the church for residents, equipped with a commercial kitchen and washrooms. The area also has meeting rooms and a large church hall for community group meetings and events. To ensure the comfort centre remains operational during power cuts, the contractor who rebuilt the church kindly donated a generator to the project.
“Without your professionalism and countless volunteer hours contributed, we would never have achieved such a result. You can all be proud of your contribution.” said the Bishop of the Diocese.
Arson: Protecting Places of Worship
Arson continues to be the leading cause of fires affecting Canadian places of worship, with up to 50 incidents a year across the country.