[MSN] QUEBEC - A Canadian landmark was in ruins early this morning after flames tore through Quebec City's historic armoury.

[MSN]

Blaze leaves landmark in ruins
RHÉAL SÉGUIN
Globe and Mail Update
April 5, 2008 at 12:42 AM EDT
QUEBEC — A Canadian landmark was in ruins early this morning after flames
tore through Quebec City's historic armoury.

The fire broke out at the armoury, located just outside the walls of the Old
City, at around 9:30 last night, witnesses said, followed by a major
explosion.

Much of the building, which was built in 1884, collapsed less than two hours
after the fire started, leaving only the brick wall and the two towers
visible at the main entrance in the facade facing northward toward the
National Assembly.

However, military officers said some of the building might be saved.

Sylvain Rousseau, head of operations with the Quebec City fire department,
said that when firefighters arrived, they noticed thick smoke and there had
been a major explosion.

The building was famous for its suspended wood ceiling, the largest in
Canada. However, Mr. Rousseau said, the flames spread rapidly through the
old wood of the ceiling and across the building and it was too dangerous for
fire fighters to go inside.

“It went very fast, no sooner had the first team of firefighters arrived
than they saw thick smoke coming out of the roof of the building,” he said.
“In the time it took to set up the hoses to fight the fire, within a few
minutes, the flames spread through the whole building.”

The ceiling collapsed at about 10 p.m.

The armoury, which resembled a fairy-tale castle and stood near the city's
citadel and the Governor-General's official Quebec residence, was home to
Les Voltigeurs de Québec riflemen, a reserve unit of the Canadian Forces.

Police said no one was injured. At least eight fire trucks with dozens of
firemen were still outside late last night battling the fire.

“I'm heartbroken [at] the loss of such a historic building,” Captain Daniel
Duguay of the Voltigeurs said as he watched the destruction.

The armoury was the site of annual Remembrance Day ceremonies and had been
scheduled to play host to events for Quebec City's 400th anniversary this
year.

Captain Paul Sacca, media relations officer with the Canadian Forces,
confirmed that no military activities were taking place inside the building
last night. He added that firefighters were doing their best to save the
regimental museum at the east end of the building and the officers' mess
hall at the western end.

“Our [country's] soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan,” he said. “They've
fought many battles for other people in the past. We will come out of this
disaster and we will rebuild this building, which is a major historical,
cultural and military monument to our past.”

General Christian Barnabé, who is in charge of Canadian Forces Quebec land
unit, watched the firefighters trying to stop the destruction of the
building where he trained as a Voltigeur in his youth.

“What's important is not the building itself but the people who train there,
the Voltigeurs,” he said. “The unit is still alive and well and they will
continue to live on here in Quebec City.”

Les Voltigeurs is the oldest French infantry regiment in the country. The
armoury, which was under renovation, was used for training cadet and reserve
units for the military.

The regiment was founded in 1862 by Charles de Salaberry, son of the victor
of the battle of Châteauguay.

The museum housed First and Second World War memorabilia, including valuable
pieces like the Vimy Bell, the regiment's weapons, uniforms, medals and
models, and artifacts of the Louis Riel uprising in western Canada.

General Barnabé said some of the memorabilia was saved, including the unit's
colours, and military drums.

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