Overview
- The blaze, which started in a vacant rectory Thursday around 6:45 p.m., quickly spread into the First Reformed Church of Astoria on 12th Street.
- FDNY escalated the incident to five alarms and deployed 84 units with about 270 firefighters and EMS personnel to contain heavy flames and smoke.
- Collapse danger forced crews to withdraw from interior attack, and six firefighters were injured, including one struck by falling bricks, with all treated and released Friday.
- The church’s roof and walls fell, leaving a hollow shell that an emergency management official says will likely need to be demolished as the Buildings Department reviews what can be preserved.
- Residents were urged to avoid smoke and nearby streets were closed, underscoring the loss of a 19th-century neighborhood landmark that was rebuilt after an 1888 fire as investigators probe the cause.