Montreal Police Say Basilica Fire Not Arson, Investigation Shows Cause Was Electrical

Charred construction equipment is shown at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal after a fire at the historic site, on Dec. 24, 2023. The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes

Montreal police say an early morning fire outside the city’s Notre-Dame Basilica was not intentionally set.

Police spokeswoman Const. Véronique Dubuc says arson investigators were at the scene on Dec. 24, and determined the fire’s origin was electrical.