Flames tore through a vacant Staten Island warehouse Saturday evening, collapsing its roof and sending burning embers into powerful winds. But nearby stood a historic church that had already survived one devastating fire and somehow escaped the flames again.
According to Fox News, more than 200 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the four-alarm blaze at the Mount Loretto grounds after the fire erupted around 5:45 p.m. The warehouse had been vacant for five years, but the surrounding property includes two schools and the historic Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne.
The church building may look familiar to movie fans. Its exterior was featured in the iconic baptism sequence of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 film “The Godfather.”
But its history with fire goes far beyond Hollywood.
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Fox News reported that the church was almost destroyed by a fire in 1973. Its façade survived the destruction, and the church was rebuilt three years later.
Now, more than five decades later, flames came dangerously close once again.
FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said firefighters arrived to find heavy fire throughout the warehouse, forcing crews into a defensive operation. Strong winds added another threat as embers flew toward surrounding structures.
“It’s very windy out here tonight,” Woods said, according to Fox News. “Our units did a great job with many of the flying embers, preventing additional structures from going on fire.”
By approximately 8:30 p.m., firefighters had brought the blaze under control, and the historic church was still standing.
For a church once nearly consumed by fire, Saturday night marked another remarkable chapter in its survival story.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
