Historic First Baptist Dallas Sanctuary Partially Destroyed

DALLAS – The historic sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, built in the 1800s, caught fire Friday night.

The fire reached four alert levels after the roof partially collapsed, but is now under control.

Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress said he is grateful no worshipers were injured.

Crews were first called to the church at the corner of San Jacinto and North Ervay Street just after 6 p.m.

First responders were met with thick smoke upon arrival. The fire started with two alarms, but quickly grew to four alarms.

The situation appeared to be largely under control until the flames reignited around 7:35 p.m., when the roof partially collapsed.

Dallas firefighters called a fourth alarm at 8:14 p.m. Dozens of firefighters were on scene throughout the afternoon trying to control the flames and get people to safety.

Jeffress said no one was injured.

“I was baptized there when I was 6 years old, ordained there when I was 21. It brings back a lot of memories. We thank God no one was hurt. We had just finished a Vacation Bible School with over 2,000 kids. They were all gone, so God protected us through it all,” Jeffress told FOX 4. “I’m thankful the church isn’t made of bricks and mortar or wood; it’s people.”

First Baptist is scheduled to hold an 11 a.m. service at the Dallas Convention Center on Sunday.

Investigators believe the fire may have started in the basement of the church.

Most firefighting operations began to cease around 2 a.m.

Crews were still in the church area Saturday morning, spraying water to extinguish hot spots.

The building is currently inaccessible as firefighters are concerned about its structural integrity.

The Dallas Fire Department says the church will have to put up barriers around the building, provide 24-hour security and provide a structural engineer’s report within 24 hours.

If the shrine is deemed unstable, it will then be demolished.

Dallas Fire will continue to have crews on scene until the building is declared safe or demolished.

The cause of the fire is listed as undetermined, but that could change if new information comes to light, the DFR said.

First Baptist Church of Dallas

The First Baptist Church of Dallas was founded in 1868, but the red brick building, known as the historic sanctuary, wasn’t built until 1890, according to the Texas Historic Commission.

The church received a historical monument in 1968.

This is a developing story. Check with FOX 4 for more information.