Firefighters battle four-alarm church fire at First Baptist Dallas sanctuary downtown

Firefighters battled a massive blaze Friday night at the historic First Baptist Dallas sanctuary in downtown Dallas.

Heavy smoke could be seen rising from the city’s skyline as flames engulfed the church building, at the corner of North Ervay and San Jacinto streets.

The historic structure largely collapsed, Dallas Fire-Rescue said in an update Saturday. If structural engineers determine it is unstable, the building will need to be demolished, the fire department said.

“Please pray for our church,” First Baptist Dallas officials said in a statement on social media. “We have experienced a fire in the Historic Sanctuary.”

“To our knowledge, no one is hurt or injured, and we thank God for His protection,” the church’s statement read. “He is sovereign even in the most difficult times.”

Dallas Fire-Rescue was called shortly after 6 p.m. to the scene, and more firefighters responded as the flames grew to a four-alarm fire. By 10 p.m., the fire was contained, but crews remained on site to extinguish hot spots.

Video from Star-Telegram partner WFAA-TV showed the building beginning to collapse.

Pastor Robert Jeffress told WFAA he had just left the church when he received word of the fire. The historic building was the main sanctuary before the church moved into a new home next door about 12 years ago, he said, and is now a secondary chapel.

“We had just concluded Vacation Bible School with over 2,000 kids,” Jeffress said. “They were all gone. God has protected us through all of this.”

The historic red brick sanctuary was built in 1890, according to the church’s website.

Jeffress said he was baptized and ordained in the church, where he was elected pastor in 2007. “I’m grateful that the church is not bricks and mortar or wood, it’s people,” he told WFAA. “And the people of God will endure. First Baptist Dallas will endure.”

The cause of the fire is not yet known. The ATF is assisting with the investigation at the request of DFR.

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The church will hold this Sunday’s service at 11 a.m. in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The service will be livestreamed.