Dallas firefighters fight four-alarm fire at First Baptist Church, roof collapsed

A four-alarm fire broke out Friday evening at a local Dallas church downtown.

The fire destroyed the historic sanctuary of the First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas. The flames broke out late Friday afternoon and people in downtown Dallas could hear the building collapse. Witnesses say it was sad to see a piece of the city's history go up in flames.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Captain Robert Borse released the following statement: The fire has been knocked down and contained. The structure has largely collapsed, which has caused many void spaces with "hot spots". While there is no indication that the fire will escalate, DFR is expected to maintain an extended presence on the scene to extinguish all lingering areas of fire and to maintain a safe perimeter around the unstable building.

KRLD's Joe Kelley shot video of the incident.

The First Baptist Church also released a statement published on its Facebook page:

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH.

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. He is sovereign even in the most difficult times. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28 We will keep you updated as we prepare to come together to worship.

No one was injured. Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress says they had just wrapped up Vacation Bible School - with more than 2,000 people at the church.

He's offering their thanks to Dallas Fire-Rescue and the Dallas Police Department.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube