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Massive fire tears through Manhattan historic church home to 'New York's Liberty Bell', US
Fire fighters in New York battled a large blaze in the early hours of Saturday morning, 5 December 2020, which gutted an historic church in lower Manhattan in the US that is home to ‘New York's Liberty Bell’, which rang out to mark the birth of the US in 1776. The Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village in Manhattan, which was built back in 1891, caught fire before dawn after a blaze spread from a five-storey vacant building adjacent to the church around 05h00am. The church houses New York's Liberty Bell and its congregation dates to the earliest days of the city's settlement. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) says fire fighters arrived in three minutes to combat what grew into a six-alarm fire that consumed the two buildings. More than 200 fire fighters from 44 units worked for hours trying to contain the blaze. Fire crews used ladders to reach the flames on the fifth floor of the vacant building. However, it wasn't enough to salvage the structure, with the roof completely destroyed. Although the roof of the church was destroyed, fire fighters were able to save its steeple. Damage from the fire spread to a third building but its occupants were able to evacuate. FDNY Assistant Chief John Hodgens said there were four minor injuries to fire personnel and that the cause was under investigation.
A statement posted to church's website said there had been no loss of life but that congregation was devastated by the damage. "We are devastated and crushed that our beloved physical sanctuary at Middle Collegiate Church has burned. And yet no fire can stop Revolutionary Love," wrote the Rev Jacqueline J Lewis, the church's senior minister in charge. The building boasted beautiful Tiffany stain glass windows, all of which are believed to have been destroyed in Saturday morning's fire. Sources: Daily Mail UK, |
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