Brooklyn church hit by huge fire during Easter Sunday mass
BUSHWICK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- The cause of the fire that disrupted an Easter Sunday mass in Brooklyn is still under investigation, but Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii is an old church with old electrical wiring - and a lot of wood.
The fire destroyed the rectory section of the building - which is more like classrooms and office space than a clergy residence. The actual church where services are held is in better shape thanks to firefighters who took steps to keep the flames from spreading.
Before the fire raged to five alarms --- taking about two hundred firefighters and four hours to get under control - a congregation was gathered inside the Bushwick church to celebrate the 1 p.m. Easter mass in Spanish, led by Fr. Romulo Marin.
Fr. Marin says when smoke began wafting into the service, nearly 200 parishioners evacuated safely while he went to try to put it out with a fire extinguisher - but the flames were starting to eat through the second floor, which was crumbling.
"And the floor collapsed," Fr. Marin said.
He tells Eyewitness News that is when he knew he needed to get out. Firefighters were there quickly and were having their own trouble with the collapsing second floor. One firefighter fell through a hole, prompting others to issue a mayday call, fearing he was hurt.
"He didn't realize that the mayday was for him, so he bounced up off the floor, came in and wanted to run back up the stairs to address the mayday issue. But not realizing that the mayday was himself, he was unhurt, thank God, and he was able to continue to fight the fire," said FDNY Assistant Chief Michael Myers.
The fire was smoky and stubborn - parishioners at the church established more than a hundred years ago, spent their holiest day of the calendar thankful for the firefighters' efforts and that no one was badly hurt - but they were also feeling heartbroken.
"It's one of the churches around for a long time - the history that develops among people individually. So this is hurting everybody that worships here," said John Quaglione of the Brooklyn Diocese.
Fr. Marin says he believes sometimes God destroys the old to make way for the new - and on this day celebrating resurrection, his only hope is that his church will come back stronger. As he and worshippers evacuated, the FDNY says they were wise to close the door separating the fire in the back of the building from the main worship space.
"Keep the door closed, because that contains the fire. And thankfully, we were able to save the church. Part of the structure has some water damage but is undamaged overall. And I think that's God looking down on us today, on Easter Sunday, and saving at least that part of the building," added Myers.
The other good news is that all injuries were minor. Two firefighters were sent to the hospital, but everyone else was treated at the scene.
There will be a mess to clean up - including at the construction site across the street, which is a pit that filled up like a swimming pool with all the water runoff from the firefighting.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
ALSO READ | Long Island community comes together to mourn fallen NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
