Saturday, June 7, 2008

College Point church gutted by fire

Investigators are trying to find out what started a fire inside the historic First Reformed Church on 14th Avenue in College Point, Queens, Friday.

Six firefighters were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The building was dedicated back in 1873


Fire guts historic Queens church

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a tragedy.
Was it landmarked?

Anonymous said...

...Likley was inside job. Watch them divide the lot then and ask for a building variiance in the next year

Anonymous said...

A tragedy indeed. The last post was made in total bad faith and ignorance. The building and grounds of the church belongs to the parent denomination, the [Dutch] Reformed Church in America, which does not deal in the way the commentator suggested. The local congregation holds all assets in trust for the denomination.

Anonymous said...

A tragedy, indeed. This church was one of the last things of beauty in College Point.

My sister was married there. She had her reception in the now demolished (and much-missed) Flessel's which was just down the block.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there also a fire last year at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in College Point? Let's hope they were both accidental.

Anonymous said...

This was a tragedy and I'm sure that it wasn't on purpose. This building is a gem of Eastlakian Gothic (Carpenter Gothic)
It is the center of every member and of every member who grew up there. I pray that the damage can be repaired so that this church can be returned to it's former glory. It is one of the few remaining buildings in town that remind us of the glory that used to be our town. The historical society should start a fund to make the repairs. Everyone in town, regardless of their religion should contribute to the fund to keep it as a beacon of our town.

Craig said...

I grew up in that church, and my mother is currently a member. Apparently, workers were removing paint by heating and scraping it. They left for the evening, but the heat had built up in the wood and started burning about ten minutes later.

Anonymous said...

Church was not gutted. The fire was contained to the steeple. Some damage to the choir loft area as well.

Anonymous said...

This church was a very beautiful church that I attend. It reminds me of how things used to be years ago. When we valued the simple things that we are really here for. It saddens me to see this kind of thing happen. Who knows how it happened and who knows if we will ever find out. For now its's just he said she said and this one heard and that one heard. I can't wait to see this church back together again. Enough with rumors and lets celebrate the fact that it can be saved :)