VIDEO: Regina pastor shares arson footage at Blessed Sacrament Parish

Fr. James Hentges, the pastor of the Blessed Sacrament Parish, wasn’t home when an arsonist started a fire early Friday morning.

“But the alarm went off immediately when it detected smoke,” he said. “My Apple iPods picked up the alarm and alerted me… that there was an alarm going off in my home.”

Hentges shared a video from his doorbell camera with 980 CJME that shows the perpetrator pouring fuel of some sort onto the front entrance of the residence connected to the church before igniting the fire.

Regina’s deputy fire chief confirmed Friday they are investigating a case of arson.

“We have done a thorough investigation, and it was an intentionally set fire,” Deputy Chief Gord Hewitt said. “We’re working with our Regina Police Service right now on providing those details to them.”

The fire department was notified at around 3:40 a.m. about alarms going off at the church at 2049 Scarth St. When crews arrived they saw flames outside of the building at the back of the property.

“Our crews managed to contain the fire to the exterior,” Hewitt said. “Internally, it was just smoke, which we managed to ventilate (from) the property.”

Police don’t have any suspects; they’re asking anyone with information about the fire to call them at 306-777-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

The church has cancelled masses until Wednesday.

Regina Fire’s assistant chief said no one was hurt in the downtown church fire. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)