A historic church in Astoria, Queens, has been reduced to ashes in a devastating fire that erupted on Thursday evening. The First Reformed Church of Astoria, which had stood for over 130 years, was engulfed by flames that broke out around 6:45 p.m. in a vacant rectory and spread rapidly to the main structure. The church, which served a Dutch Reformed congregation dating back to the 1830s, was a significant fixture in the community.
As reported by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the blaze escalated quickly, prompting a massive response from emergency services. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore noted that 84 units, including over 270 fire and EMS personnel, were dispatched to battle the intense fifth-alarm fire. “When we arrived, this had escalated into a fifth-alarm fire,” Bonsignore stated, highlighting the scale of the response needed to tackle the conflagration.
The building itself was a brick Victorian Gothic masterpiece, adorned with terra cotta and copper details, featuring an octagonal tower and steeple. The church had a history of enduring destruction, having previously suffered a fire in 1888 that destroyed the original structure, which was rebuilt thereafter. The site is rooted in the heart of the community and embodies rich traditions that have persisted for generations.
As firefighters fought bravely to contain the flames, they faced significant challenges due to the structure’s age. FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods expressed the difficulty in extinguishing fires that spread into older buildings. “Once the fire gets into these old churches behind the walls and into the roof space, it’s very difficult to extinguish,” Woods noted. The risks were heightened as parts of the roof and walls collapsed during the firefighting efforts, resulting in injuries to at least six firefighters, one of whom was struck by debris.
The smoke from the fire billowed into the surrounding neighborhood, leading to the evacuation of nearby residents for their safety. The response from the firefighting units was swift, but the seemingly relentless blaze took several hours to control, illustrating the potential dangers posed by such historical structures.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the incident has left a somber mark on the neighborhood that once gathered within the church’s walls. The legacy of the First Reformed Church of Astoria, now charred and broken, serves as a reminder of the fragility of history and community.
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