A five-alarm blaze broke out in a church in Montreal around 5 a.m. Saturday morning. No one was injured in the fire but the church, which was built in 1892, was completely destroyed. The cause of the blaze is unknown. (QMI Agency Photo)

MONTREAL — A vacant church belonging to the Franciscan community was completely destroyed by fire Saturday morning.

The blaze was reported at 5 a.m. and by the time fire crews arrived at the church on Rene-Levesque Blvd. it was fully engulfed in flames. The blaze, which wasn't extinguished until noon, also spread to the roof of the neighbouring rectory, which was heavily damaged.

Firefighters had to knock down walls after the structure was deemed unsafe.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but investigators were on the scene Saturday afternoon. There were reports squatters were using the building.

No one was injured in the blaze.

The church was built in 1892 by the Community of Franciscan Friars. The church, known as Church of St. Francis of Assisi, had been closed since 1997.