Overview
- Crews began tearing down the structurally compromised building, with officials expecting demolition to finish within hours.
- About 20 residents from nearby homes were evacuated and are expected to return Saturday morning, according to the borough.
- Fire Chief Frank Hand said an initial interior attack was abandoned as conditions worsened, prompting a five-alarm call that brought roughly 250 firefighters from three counties.
- Officials said the church had sat vacant for at least two years after Invictus Ministries left, and neighbors had repeatedly reported trespassers, including two police calls last week.
- The property was recently sold for planned renovations and contractors had boarded doors and windows; the cause of the fire remains under investigation as the Red Cross assists those displaced.