On Thursday evening, a fierce blaze tore through a historic vacant church in Astoria, Queens, drawing a massive response from the FDNY. Nearly 200 firefighters and EMS workers battled the multi-alarm inferno at the Reformed Church of Astoria on 12th Street, between Astoria Boulevard and 27th Avenue.

The fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. in the church rectory and rapidly spread to the main building. Thick black smoke billowed for blocks, forcing nearby residents to wear masks. Flames shot through the roof as the fire escalated to five alarms.

FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods described the tough fight: "Our units moved into these two structures with multiple handlines. Once the fire gets into these old churches behind the walls and into the roof space it's very difficult to extinguish, and there was a major collapse danger."

Tragedy struck when the roof caved in, sending bricks crashing down and injuring one firefighter who needed hospital care. In total, six firefighters suffered minor injuries. The blaze also prompted evacuations from surrounding buildings.

Local historian and resident Dominique Perrot shared her thoughts on the 1850s-era Dutch Reformed Church, abandoned for about a year: "This church is historic, probably from 1850. In a way, I'm not surprised there has been a fire."

https://x.com/FDNY/status/2047465416641966556

The cause remains under investigation, with no immediate word from officials. Firefighters planned to monitor for hotspots overnight into Friday.

This incident highlights the dangers of fighting fires in aging, abandoned structures and the bravery of those who rush in to protect communities.