Downtown Dallas church fire: The latest updates

DALLAS — Plumes of black smoke have been seen rising by way of the Downtown Dallas skyline Friday night.

Dallas Hearth Rescue (DFR) responded to a fourth-alarm hearth simply after 6 p.m. on the First Baptist Dallas Church at 1707 San Jacinto St. When firefighters arrived, they have been met with heavy smoke and instantly began attacking the blaze. Officers stated at the least 100 firefighters have been on scene for greater than three hours.

DFR confirmed to WFAA that the “construction concerned is the secondary chapel.” Chopper 8 captured the second when the spire toppled over as crews battled the flames.

Trip Bible College concluded within the historic sanctuary on Thursday. It’s used for funerals, weddings, and auxiliary occasions that don’t require the principle sanctuary. 

Most firefighting operations started considerably shutting down between 2 a.m. and three a.m. Saturday morning, in keeping with DFR. Overhaul firms have been on scene all through Friday evening into Saturday morning to make sure security and to proceed extinguishing scorching spots, in keeping with hearth officers.

DFR stated Friday night they believed the blaze began within the basement. Deacons informed WFAA they worry the church’s library, beneath the historic sanctuary, has been misplaced. It held a majority of the church’s information, they stated.

Officers stated nobody was injured within the hearth.

In an replace Saturday, DFR stated that the constructing was inaccessible as a result of lack of structural integrity. Further drone footage was captured and a discover was issued to church representatives, DFR stated. The church will probably be required to put in limitations across the historic sanctuary, present 24-hour safety, and supply a structural engineers report inside 24 hours. If the construction is dominated unstable, then it will likely be demolished, hearth officers stated Saturday afternoon. DFR stated it’ll keep a presence on scene till the structural integrity is set or the construction is demolished. 

DFR stated Saturday the fireplace was being labeled as undetermined, nonetheless, “we reserve the appropriate to alter or complement this discovering based mostly on new or extra info which can subsequently be decided.”

Pastor Robert Jeffress, who was elected pastor of First Baptist Dallas in August of 2007, spoke to reporters as firefighters continued to combat the fireplace, and stated he had been baptized and ordained as a minister in that very church.

“I had simply left the church somewhat bit after 6 p.m. after we obtained phrase that the church was on hearth, our historic sanctuary,” Jeffress stated, emotional.

Jeffress grew up at First Baptist Dallas. He was baptized within the Historic Sanctuary at age 9, ordained there when he was 21, and holds many reminiscences of the church.

The constructing has been round since 1890, Jeffress stated and was the house of the church earlier than they moved into a brand new heart about 12 years in the past. 

“We had simply concluded trip bible faculty with over 2,000 youngsters,” Jeffress stated. “They have been all gone. God has protected us by way of all of this.”

Jeffress stated they do not know the reason for the fireplace right now.

“I am grateful that the church is just not bricks and mortar or wooden, it is individuals,” he stated. “And the individuals of God will endure. First Baptist Dallas will endure.”

Moments earlier than talking with Jeffress, WFAA’s cameras captured the response to elements of the constructing collapsing:

Companies on Sunday will probably be held on the Dallas Conference Heart. Fairly than the same old three providers held onsite at First Baptist Dallas – together with a band-led worship service that was nonetheless being carried out within the historic sanctuary – there will probably be one joint service at 11 a.m. CT, church officers stated in a message despatched to their congregation. The service will probably be livestreamed at icampus.firstdallas.org.

“A method or one other, we intend to satisfy for church this Sunday,” a church spokesperson informed WFAA.

Residents from so far as Irving have reported with the ability to see the fireplace on the Dallas skyline.