2nd church fire being investigated as arson by RCMP on Alberta’s Siksika Nation

Alberta RCMP are investigating a second fire at a church on the Siksika First Nation near Calgary.

Police said Tuesday that officers were called to the Siksika Anglican Church, located in Map 4, at about 7 a.m. for reports of a fire.

When investigators got there, they found a broken window and evidence that someone had deliberately tried to start a fire inside the church, but failed.

A photo provided by RCMP showed a singed curtain sticking out from the broken glass.

The suspect(s) were gone by the time police arrived, and fire crews weren’t called.

View image in full screen

RCMP are also investigating a small blaze at the Siksika Catholic Church early Monday morning, which is believed to be a case of arson.

A number of churches on First Nations across the country have been burned in arson incidents recently, following the grim discovery of unmarked graves on the sites of two former residential schools in B.C. and Saskatchewan.

Anyone with information on the fire at the Siksika Anglican Church, or who may be able to help identify those responsible, is asked to contact the RCMP at 403-734-3923 or to contact Crime Stoppers.