Coppermine (Apr 19/04) - The Catholic Mission in Kugluktuk burned to the ground April 13, ending a recent revival at the church that saw about 25 people coming to regular church service every Sunday.

The entire community came to a standstill as fire consumed the building, a landmark since 1962. - Ron Tologanak/NNSL photo

There is still no cause determined for the blaze that started around 10 a.m. and lasted until the church's steeple collapsed dramatically at 3 p.m.

Larry Whittaker watched smoke and flames unfurl from the church until about noon, then walked home.

"It looked under control," said the long-time resident.

But it had only begun.

Strong winds fanned the flames, Whittaker said.

"When I left my home to go back to work at a quarter to one it was completely engulfed in flames. That was a surprise," Whittaker said. "I thought they more or less had it beat."

The entire community came to a standstill as fire consumed the building, a landmark since 1962.

"The stores weren't closed or anything," said Whittaker. "But they didn't have any customers. They were all down watching the fire."

Whittaker wonders if firefighters broke the windows of the church too soon, allowing wind to take the flames higher.

"I hate to be critical of the fire department. I have some firefighting training myself. But there was a stiff wind blowing. And once the air got blowing through the building I think the fire really took off. But they were trying to ventilate the building."

Kugluktuk fire Chief Ted Dupont said the 15-18 firefighters on the scene did their best.

"For the amount of men we had we did the best we could," said Dupont.

Once firefighters entered the structure to battle the fire, windows had to be smashed to allow the smoke to clear.

"We didn't know where the fire was," said Dupont. "By the time we got there, it was already too late. We couldn't have saved it no matter what we did. It was all plywood and varnish construction in there, no drywall at all, and that goes like a tinderbox."

Whittaker, now a probation officer, has the unique distinction of having lived in the Catholic Mission for a year in 1980 when he was "between jobs."

While there, Whittaker established a friendship with the priest, Father Ovila Lapointe, a Quebecker, like himself.

Father Lapointe spent an astounding 50 years at the church, from 1942-1992. When he left, no one ever replaced him on a full-time basis, said Bishop Denis Croteau of the Mackenzie Catholic Diocese based in Yellowknife.

Bishop Croteau was scheduled to visit the Catholic church in Kugluktuk for Easter, and then, before the fire, re-scheduled his trip for May 14.

Now Bishop Croteau's May visit has taken on a whole new meaning -- focused on future building plans and what the congregation wants.

"It's still too early to know," Bishop Croteau said. "I'd like the decision to be made not by me, but by the people of Kugluktuk."

As of last week there were about 25 parishioners in the community.

Bishop Croteau said the building had been locked up for the last five years, and the recent revival of interest in the church over the last six months may have in fact led to its demise.

"It may have been that the furnace was back on," he said. "It wasn't used for many years. But I haven't heard a report from the fire marshall yet, so I don't know."

Whittaker said the building had been poorly maintained over the last few years, but there was renewed interest in keeping up the church and having mass over the last few months.

Business owners had started chipping in to assist the ailing church.

Only ash remains

Destroyed in the blaze were gorgeous sealskin tapestries that extended around the front half of the chapel behind the alter.

Whittaker laments now never having taken a photograph of those tapestries.

"Another piece of history gone," Whittaker said.