Blogger Comment: Several hundred churches have now sustained heavy fires and many have been razed to the ground in Canada and the USA over the last few years, but where the Globalist controlled MSM have not told the people, as thy are covering the elite’s backs and where this is also a global phenomena that they are doing and do not want the people to know about it…but where bit-by-bit it is coming out, and particularily against Chrustians, that shows the evil that is in these Globalist elites by turning religious hatred into one of their tools by which they destroy the will of people throughout the world…

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A historic New York City church that stood for more than 130 years in Astoria, Queens, was destroyed Thursday evening after a massive fire tore through the property, prompting an extensive emergency response and injuring multiple firefighters.

The blaze, which began in a nearby vacant structure, quickly spread and engulfed the landmark building, reducing it to ruins.

Fire Rapidly Escalates Into Major Emergency

The fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. in a vacant rectory adjacent to the First Reformed Church of Astoria, according to FDNY officials.

Flames quickly spread to the church itself, escalating into a fifth-alarm fire by the time crews arrived on scene.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said the scale of the response reflected the severity of the situation.

“When we arrived, this had escalated into a fifth-alarm fire,” Bonsignore said.

“We had a significant number of resources here to bring it under control.”

In total, 84 units and more than 270 fire and EMS personnel were deployed to battle the blaze.

Historic Structure Lost to Flames

The church was a longstanding fixture in the community, serving a Dutch Reformed congregation dating back to the 1830s.

The structure destroyed in Thursday’s fire was built in 1888 after an earlier church on the same site was lost to fire in 1888.

The building featured a Victorian Gothic design with terra cotta and copper detailing, along with a distinctive octagonal tower and steeple.

Over the decades, the structure had already endured significant damage, including a lightning strike that destroyed the original steeple, which was later rebuilt.

Firefighters Face Dangerous Conditions

Officials said the age and construction of the building made the fire especially difficult to contain.

FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods explained that once flames spread into the internal structure, the situation became increasingly hazardous.

“Once the fire gets into these old churches behind the walls and into the roof space, it’s very difficult to extinguish,” Woods said.

“And there was a major collapse danger to our members.”

Portions of the roof and walls ultimately collapsed during the fire.

At least one firefighter was struck in the helmet by falling debris, while five others sustained injuries, according to FDNY Assistant Chief of EMS Operations Kathleen Knuth.

Videos from the scene show the ferocity with which the fire ripped through the building.

WATCH: click on the following link if the video below does not work… Historic NYC Church Completely Destroyed by Massive Fire

Neighborhood Impact and Ongoing Investigation

The fire sent heavy smoke across the surrounding neighborhood, forcing evacuations of nearby residents as crews worked for several hours to bring the situation under control.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire, and an investigation remains ongoing.

The destruction of the First Reformed Church of Astoria marks the loss of a historic landmark that had stood in the community for generations.

Its legacy is now reduced to rubble after a devastating blaze.

Follow the link for the source… https://slaynews.com/news/historic-nyc-church-completely-destroyed-massive-fire/

And,

READ MORE – Historic Canadian Church Completely Destroyed in Massive Fire