HISTORIC NY CHURCH BUILT IN 1891 BADLY DAMAGED BY FIRE

Raging fire in East Village damages historic church; 4 firefighters suffer minor injuries

 

WABC

December 5, 2020

 

EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan (WABC) -- First responders are working to put out a massive fire in the East Village Saturday morning.

FDNY officials say the 6-alarm fire began on the first floor of a 5-story vacant building at East Seventh Street in the East Village around 5 a.m.

As the fire developed, it then spread to the Middle Collegiate Church located at 112 Second Avenue, behind the initial building.

"Our units arrived in three minutes, very fast response time. Upon arrival we had heavy fire showing from the corner building on East 7th Street," FDNY Assistant Chief John Hodgens said. "We quickly transmitted additional alarms to get more help here. We knew this was going to be a big operation. Fire had extended into the church on 2nd Avenue and also into another building on 7th Street. We had all of our units in position and we were quickly able to contain it to that area."

Over 100 firefighters are responding to the incident.

The 5-story building where the fire broke out, was vacant due to an accidental fire that occurred earlier in the year on February 20.

Fire marshals say that fire was electrical and was caused by building wiring.

Meanwhile, the church involved in the fire was built in 1892 and has been linked to key historical events in American history.

"Unfortunately, it seems like it was pretty bad -- the sanctuary is not in good shape and we have some beautiful Tiffany stain glass windows that are gone," Middle Collegiate Church Minister Amanda Ashcraft said. "Horribly sad day for our congregation and for this neighborhood."

Firefighters are trying to save the steeple, however, Assistant Chief Hodgens says he considers the church to be a "total loss."

The church houses about 1,300 congregants.

Ashcraft arrived on the scene just after the church caught fire.

"God is also weeping right here with us, this is not anything that makes God happy -- not part of God's plan and God will be here with us as we rebuild from this moment," Ashcraft said.

There's no word yet on what sparked the fire.

Officials say the roof and floors of the vacant building have collapsed, in addition to the roof of the church.

A third building also suffered some damage, but all the occupants were able to exit the building safely.

"I opened the door to my room -- I'm on the top floor too so I didn't know where the fire was coming from, smoke all in the stairwells, hallways and I was like we gotta get out, we gotta get out," eyewitness Kara Endahl said. "So we started running down the stairs and firefighters were coming up ... luckily, our whole building got out first."

There were four minor injuries to firefighters and operations and the fire is mostly under control at this time.

Approximately 44 units and 198 members worked on the scene.