Dozens of firefighters responded to the Zion Evangelical Baptist Church on Lockwood Avenue in New Rochelle at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 27, when the fire broke out on the second floor, officials said.
Smoke could be seen billowing for several blocks as crews worked to knock down the flames and extinguish several stubborn hotspots that broke out in the walls for several hours. New Rochelle Fire Chief cited “void spaces” in the church and an abundance of dry wood in the nearly 100-year-old structure as reasons the fire spread so rapidly.
No one was inside the church when the fire broke out, and two firefighters were hospitalized with minor injuries that are believed to be non-life-threatening. The sanctuary was not badly damaged by the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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