Raging blaze tears through abandoned East Village building, spreads to historic church next door
A massive fire ripped through an abandoned East Village building and spread to a century-old church next door early Saturday, authorities said.
Nearly 200 firefighters were trying to extinguish the flames that erupted inside the empty E. 7th St. building near Second Ave. around 4:45 a.m., the FDNY said.
Video online shows bright red and orange flames pouring out of the windows and lighting up the pre-dawn sky.
The fire quickly spread to the historic Middle Collegiate Church located directly behind the burning building, rising to five alarms with more than 44 FDNY units responding to the scene.
No injuries were reported.
Firefighters were still trying to douse the flames hours after the early Saturday inferno.
The five-story building had been vacant ever since a fire erupted inside earlier this year, according to ABC New York.
The Middle Collegiate Church was built in 1892, said Minister Amanda Ashcraft, watching helplessly as her church burned.
”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,” Ashcraft told ABC New York.
”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.”
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