Friday 10 December 2021

Arson charge laid after Shemogue church fire

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/church-fire-arson-charge-court-1.6281019 

 

Arson charge laid after Shemogue church fire

Samuel Jamie Vautour sent for 30-day psychiatric evaluation

An arson charge has been laid against a Cap-Pelé man in connection with a fire that destroyed a church in southeastern New Brunswick on Thursday.

Saint Timothée Catholic church in Shemogue was unoccupied and no one was hurt in the fire, RCMP say.

Samuel Jamie Vautour, 26, was charged with a single count of arson during a brief appearance in Moncton provincial court Friday by phone from Shediac RCMP holding cells. 

When he was brought to court Friday afternoon, Judge Ronald LeBlanc ordered a 30-day psychiatric evaluation at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton. Vautour returns to court Jan. 10.

Outside the courthouse, his mother Lisa Vautour told reporters her son has struggled with mental health and prescription drug use for almost a decade.

"I will be praying the hardest I've ever prayed in my life that this is it, because I'm tired," she said about her son being sent for the evaluation.

"This is not Sam. And if Sam ends up that he did do, it's the physical body. It's not Samuel. It's the illness in the physical body … If it's determined that he was there, it is not Samuel."

Cap-Pelé fire Chief Ronald Cormier previously said firefighters were called early Thursday morning and the flames quickly spread through the 105-year-old church, destroying it.

According to the Archdiocese of Moncton website, construction of the wooden church began in 1903 and was completed in 1916.

In a news release, RCMP said police are investigating if there are links to a series of other suspicious fires in the region this year.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/shemogue-church-fire-1.6279220 

 

'So tragic,' archbishop says after fire destroys Shemogue church

105-year-old wooden church deemed beyond saving by firefighters

Saint Timothée is a Catholic church that's part of the Archdiocese of Moncton.

Firefighters were on the scene before full daylight, but Beaubassin East Mayor Louise Landry said they determined the building was beyond saving.

"We recovered two or three objects," Landry said. "The rest, we know that there is no chance of recovering anything from the church."

 Cap-Pelé fire Chief Ronald Cormier says it's too early to say what caused the fire. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)

Cap-Pelé fire Chief Ronald Cormier said the call came in around 5 or 6 a.m. Thursday. The fire was small when firefighters arrived, but flames spread fast within an hour to destroy the church.

"It's probably more than 100 years old, and it's dry," he said. "It was a big challenge."

Firefighters from five different departments responded, he said, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

"We can't say if it's suspicious or not. Right now it's hard to say."

 The archbishop of the Archdiocese of Moncton, Valery Vienneau, says the loss of the church will have a big impact on the community. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)

'Very sad for the community'

Archbishop Valéry Vienneau was at the scene of the fire Thursday morning. He said before being a priest he was a school teacher in Cap-Pelé, and the church played a big part as a community centre.

"It's very sad for the community," he said. "Especially at this time of Christmas, because people tend to come back with their families and tend to come to church."

He said about 100 to 150 people attended the church before COVID-19, and people have been keeping up the old building and working hard on renovating and preserving it.

"It's so tragic also because they're losing something they've worked so hard on," Vienneau said.

The fire made quick work of the 105-year-old wooden church. (Kate Letterick/CBC)

According to the archdiocese website, construction of the wooden church began in 1903 and was completed in 1916.

It was hauled over the ice to its current location by horses the next year.

The building underwent major renovations in 1983.

A previous church in the community had been destroyed by fire in 1826.

With files from Radio-Canada and Kate Letterick

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

54 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story 
 
 
 
Chantal Lebouthi
They arrested a 26 year old men
Can you update the story please

Thanks
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Albert Wade
If there is insurance they can use the money to pay abused children.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Albert Wade: That's at the bottom of the list of their priorities. They agreed to a court settlement out west, then built a multi-millions 💲 cathedral in Saskatoon and came back to court with a pittance saying that's all they could afford.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps  
It's the work of the 😈!
 
 
 
 
 
 
June Arnott 
Been an arsonist around for many years doing these fires
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marcel Belanger 
Young man of 26 has just been arrested and will face charges tomorrow. That’s good but the church is still gone. Leaves a big hole in the community.
 
 
 
 
Scott Murray
So sad for the parishioners.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mack Leigh
I find it extremely suspect as to the amount of fires in that area. Fish plants, abandoned buildings, garages, houses and now a church. Is there an arsonist in their midst ?
 
 
Marcel Belanger
Reply to @Mack Leigh: There are and we believe it’s more than one. Apparently there’s someone in custody for this one, at least that’s the local scuttlebutt.
 
 
Mary Smith
Reply to @Marcel Belanger: There are more than one. There was an arsonist responsible for what, at least 3 houses in South East NB (houses side by side) so not sure if that person/persons is responsible for the others ... but yeah I'd bet there's more than one. It's mad that arsons walk among us.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James Risdon
Before he became the archbishop in Moncton, Valéry Vienneau was the bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst and during his time here closed down churches.

Just saying.
 
 
June Arnott
Reply to @James Risdon: abuses happened in the Bathurst church
 
 
June Arnott
Reply to @James Risdon: interesting he gets “moved around” when he knew what was going on
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @June Arnott: What do you mean exactly?
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps 
Reply to @James Risdon: It means exactly what he stated.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lauchlin Murray
It's truly disheartening when a communal place with memories for so many is lost so tragically. Also hard for the firefighters. I hope they are able to bring together the necessary resources and will power to create a substitute, able to last at least two centuries or more.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Michael Black
Consider it a metaphorical reference to evolution.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jim Cyr
Not saying for sure it's arson, but do folks realize the staggering number of Christian churches that have been burned by arson across Canada over the last five years??? Probably not, as the media has pretty much buried this trend. Canada likes to think of itself as a tolerant, kind country. Facts on the ground prove otherwise.
 
 
Mary Smith
Reply to @Jim Cyr: Take a drive through that area this past year or so and you'll see a lot of burned houses and businesses. A staggering amount really. There's at least one group of arsons I know of and probably more. It's bad and I hope they put those arsons in jail where they belong.

(Not saying this church was necessarily arson, it may have been some heating issue for all I know, but the amount of fires in that region has been unreal).
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Jim Cyr: Christians are currently the most persecuted religious group in the world. We tend to think of that not being the case in Canada but, unfortunately, that kind of intolerance also exists here.
 
 
Jack Bell
Reply to @Jack Bell: Sorry, my bad. the Uyghurs, not Hmong.
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Jack Bell: Not that I approve of forced sterilization and internment camps, but in many parts of the world Christians are attacked and killed in their churches and beheaded.

Now, I might be a bit out of touch with the current state of the victimization hierarchy but I tend to think of being killed as a pretty severe form of persecution.

Maybe that's just me.
 
 
Harry Ballsagna
Reply to @Harry Ballsagna: If it was a mosque, synagogue or any other place of worship Trudeau would be grand standing and threatening hate crimes or terrorism. Other then China which is the local mainstream, any other persecutions worth noting?
  

Terrance Charlton
Reply to @Jack Bell: Your anti-Christian rant has been flagged.
 
 
Michael Black
Reply to @James Risdon: I wonder why they are the most persecuted? Hummm...
 
 
 
Harry Ballsagna
Reply to @Michael Black: typical instead of having a conversation and requesting facts......flag and cancel. It's the way of the ignorant.
 
 
Michael Black
Reply to @James Risdon: How about Jack Bell's reality check. Or are christian just too full of their own victim-stance to recognize the greater plight of other?
 
 
Michael Black
Reply to @Jack Bell: Very well put!! Cheers Jack.
 
 
Harry Ballsagna
Reply to @Michael Black: Its not that at all...it's the double standards, really just a waste of time on here.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps  
Reply to @James Risdon: They've perpetrated a lot of nasty deeds over the centuries.
 
 
Jim Cyr
Reply to @Michael Black: probably because “they deserve it”......right, Michael?? smdh
 
 
Jack Bell
Reply to @James Risdon:
"Uyghurs are currently the most persecuted religious group in the world."

There... fixed it for you.
You're welcome.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Risky year for churches.
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Terrance Charlton: Which reminds me ... Did they ever find out who burnt down all those churches out west - and did the media bother to report on it?
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Reply to @James Risdon: No and No.
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Terrance Charlton: Well, that's odd. You'd think that with that many fires the police would have enough clues to catch the culprits and bring them into captivity.
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Reply to @James Risdon: There are rules for some of us, but not all of us.
 
 
Al Clark
Reply to @James Risdon: You'd think eh? But yet.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Janice small
Hmmmmmm lots of homes and fish plants going up in smoke !! I assume insurance rates maybe climbing in that part of the province soon..
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Janice small: I can't imagine a 105-year-old building burning will much affect the insurance rates of most homes and businesses.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Michael G. L. Geraldson
A couple up the road from me went out for groceries and Christmas shopping one night last week. When they came home their home had burnt to the ground. I don't imagine they're going to have a Merry Christmas.
 
 
Mary Smith
Reply to @Michael G. L. Geraldson: There have been SO MANY fires in this area and just outside of Sackville. Three on one street (definitely arson, connected to this piece of work and his group: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/arrests-laser-pointed-planes-1.6010717 ) just past town limits in Sackville. It was arson and those in this area of the church and beyond are likely arson too (I mean, a few may not be, but there's been far, far too many fires for it to not be a coincidence). It seemed like there was a fire or two every single week for a long while. They need to get serious about who is doing it, and who they know did it just beyond Sackville. Those were attempted murder too, since they were in the home, and it's just mad that there's folks that insane around walking free.
 
 
Mary Smith
Reply to @Mary Smith: And this church fire may or may not be arson, I wouldn't know, but it would be interesting to have all the fires mapped out and on a timeline because there was a bit there when driving through a scenic drive was just so many burnt houses and businesses, it was really spooky.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Dale
Since there’s no mention of what caused the fire we can pretty much conclude it was spontaneous combustion. Or the other thing.
 
 
Jeff Leblanc
Reply to @John Dale: act of God
 
 
Clive Gibons
Reply to @John Dale: Or maybe investigators need to wait for the embers to cool before doing their jobs?
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Reply to @John Dale: We all know the probable cause, and we all know it won't get much attention from this broadcaster.
 
 
John Dale
Reply to @Terrance Charlton: yep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
James Risdon
What caused this fire?
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Reply to @James Risdon: I think you mean who.
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Terrance Charlton: Nope. I mean what. It could have been lightening, an electrical fire, a chimney fire ... Not necessarily set ablaze by a hater.
 
 
Terrance Charlton
Reply to @James Risdon: Perhaps it could have been one of those possibilities. I think if you look at the quantity of churches burned in the past 12 months, the probability is the "what" is gasoline, and the "who" is cannot be named.
 
 
June Arnott
Reply to @James Risdon: you mean who  
 
 
James Risdon
Reply to @Terrance Charlton: You may be right. God only knows.

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