JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A North Jacksonville church is destroyed following a fire early Monday morning.
Firefighters responded to St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church of Jacksonville on Bernard Road around 2:00 a.m. and had the fire under control within about an hour, states Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
When crews arrived, they saw heavy fire, with the initial report stating the fire was fully involved. The church is off the beaten path, so nobody saw it this early, JFRD said, so it could have been burning for a while.
Worshippers gathered outside the church Monday morning as fire crews used a ladder truck to put out the smoldering hot spots. They were too emotional to speak on camera, but prayed for the church destroyed by flames.
JFRD says no one was hurt and no one was inside the church. When First Coast News asked if the fire was being deemed “suspicious,” JFRD answered that the state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, but that there is nothing to indicate it might have been suspicious at this point in the investigation.
The building is unsafe to enter because of the structural collapse of the roof, JFRD said. The roof of the church is completely gone.
The church does have security cameras, JFRD said. They are not sure whether video from the cameras goes to the cloud or not.
Around 50 firefighters responded to the fire. As of 6 a.m., the fire was still smoldering, so crews have to be careful going in.
JFRD will probably bring a ladder inside later to get to that part of the building. There is still concern the entire building could collapse.
Bernard Road is located off of North Main Street.