Morinville RCMP received a report about a reported church fire on Highway 642 and Range Road 272 on Alexander First Nation on Monday at 12:40 am MST. Upon arrival, Alberta RCMP said the church was engulfed in flames. “Fire departments from Alexander First Nation, Sturgeon County and Morinville were able to bring the blaze under control; however, the church had very extensive damage,” said Alberta RCMP in a Tuesday statement. “RCMP will be working to determine the cause of the fire.”The Alberta RCMP followed up by saying it believes the church is a total loss. It said the Morinville RCMP General Investigations Section has taken over the investigation and will be working with a fire investigator to determine a cause. Although early in the investigation, it said the circumstances around this fire do not appear to be suspicious.Cabinet confirmed on September 19 hundreds of church burnings nationwide followed unsubstantiated claims skeletal remains were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. .Feds confirm hundreds of arson attacks on churches after false residential school claims.Data drawn from police reports compiled by Statistics Canada indicate a sharp rise in arson attacks since the claims. “This includes incidents that occurred on the surrounding property such as an attached cemetery or adjacent parking lot or inside a religious institution or building,” said cabinet.
