A historic church in lower Manhattan that houses New York's Liberty Bell and whose congregation dates to the earliest days of the city's settlement was gutted by a massive fire early Saturday that sent flames shooting through the roof.
The Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village burned before dawn after a fire spread from a five-story vacant building adjacent to the church around 5 a.m. Video posted on Twitter shows flames shooting from the roof and the church's stately front window glowing from the conflagration inside.
“We are devastated. We are gutted like our building is gutted; our hearts are crushed like our doors are crushed,” said the Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis. "But we know how to be the church, and we know that God is God, yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire erupted from the building next to Middle Collegiate Church on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 in New York. The historic 19th century church in lower Manhattan was gutted by a massive fire early Saturday that sent flames shooting through the roof. (AP PhotoYuki Iwamura)
City Council member Carlina Rivera tweeted that no injuries were reported.
Built in 1892, the church is home to the oldest congregation of the Collegiate Churches of New York, which date to the Dutch settlement of the island in the 1620s, according to the church's website.
The Middle Collegiate Church had been in two other locations in Manhattan since 1729.
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire erupted from the building next to Middle Collegiate Church on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 in New York. The historic 19th century church in lower Manhattan was gutted by a massive fire early Saturday that sent flames shooting through the roof. (AP PhotoYuki Iwamura)
The bell tower houses New York’s Liberty Bell, which pealed to mark the birth of the nation in 1776 and has since been rung for the inaugurations and deaths of American presidents and events such as remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the church.
Lewis believed the bell survived the fire but was not certain. Church minister Amanda Ashcraft told WABC that the Tiffany stained glass windows were gone.
The fate of the church building is unclear, Lewis said, but the ministry will continue.
Bystanders look at the burned building next to Middle Collegiate Church after the fire damaged the building on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 in New York. The historic 19th century church in lower Manhattan was gutted by a massive fire early Saturday that sent flames shooting through the roof. (AP PhotoYuki Iwamura)
“Our church has been worshipping digitally since March 15,” Lewis said. “And that's what we'll be doing tomorrow.”
Smoke from the building next to the Middle Collegiate Church fills the air from an early morning fire on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 in New York. The historic 19th century church in lower Manhattan was gutted by a massive fire early Saturday that sent flames shooting through the roof. (AP PhotoYuki Iwamura)