Aslan Shand
Emergency services were called at 6.40am this morning when a back to base alarm was triggered at Lismore’s St Carthage’s Catholic Cathedral said director of communications for St Carthage’s Parish of Lismore Jo Pereira.
‘Emergency services were able to contain the fire that was in the sacristy and it has not made its way into the main cathedral,’ he told Echonetdaily.
‘NSW Fire and Rescue are working to extinguish the blaze, which has caused significant damage to the building,’ the NSW Police said in a media statement this morning.
Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire, which is being treated as suspicious.
No one was in attendance at the Cathedral at the time of the fire according to both police and Mr Pereira.
‘The Bishop of Lismore Greg Homeming has inspected the cathedral from outside and he was satisfied emergency services had the under control,’ said Mr Pereria.
‘Don’t be too alarmed its only a part of the building and the cathedral probably won’t have been damaged,’ said Bishop Homeming about the fire.
‘It’s a building, more importantly no one was injured or hurt. It is sad – but I’m not greatly distressed. If someone had died it would have been irreparable. It is a building not the church; it is the people that are the church and no was hurt.’
Trinity Catholic School closed
The Cathedral is located on the ground of Trinity Catholic College is closed for the day as a result of the fire.
They have said that ‘the College will be closed for lessons today. If possible please keep your children at home. If you are unable to keep your children at home supervision will be provided on the St John’s site.’
Police are urging people to avoid the area as investigations are underway.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
