A massive five-alarm fire that swept through the First Reformed Church of Astoria, one of the oldest churches in New York City, and left six firefighters injured on Thursday, is now under investigation as authorities seek to find out how it started.
A statement from the New York City Fire Department said the blaze at the church, located at 27-26 12th Street in Astoria, Queens, was first reported in the church’s two-story rectory but quickly spread to the church building, which has stood since 1889.
According to the FDNY, they responded to reports of a fire at the church at around 6:45 p.m. After seeing how the fire was spreading, firefighters sought to put out the blaze from the outside of the building because of its size and concerns about the structural stability of the rectory and the church.
“While operating on the exterior, a portion of the roof started collapsing, walls collapsed, and some bricks hit one of our members in the helmet. He was treated by FDNY Rescue Medics, our FAST Unit, and other EMS personnel and then taken to an area hospital,” Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said in a statement.
Five other firefighters suffered injuries that weren’t life-threatening. It took more than 270 fire and EMS personnel from 84 units to bring the fire under control at about 10:30 p.m., officials said.
“When we arrived, this had escalated into a fifth-alarm fire,” FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said at a press conference. “We had a significant number of resources here to bring it under control.”
Woods further explained in a Spectrum News report that the church’s age made it difficult to bring the fire under control and posed a danger to his crew.
“Once the fire gets into these old churches behind the walls and into the roof space, it’s very difficult to extinguish. And there was a major collapse danger to our members,” he said.
Records show that the congregation of the First Reformed Church of Astoria got their first building in 1837, but it was destroyed by fire in 1888.
“On Saturday, January 14, 1888, a fire of unknown origin broke out in the church, damaging the floor, some of the pews, and slightly damaging the organ. The organ, pews, pulpit furniture, clock, and bell were removed and stored in the chapel, and the 1837 church building was razed,” said nycago.org.
“The cornerstone of the present church was laid on October 6, 1888, fifty-two years to the day after the laying of the cornerstone of the first church building. The brick Victorian Gothic building had terra cotta and copper details, and an octagonal tower and steeple. The original steeple was destroyed by lightning and was rebuilt.”
As the fire blazed on Thursday, it drew national attention from onlookers such as activist missionary and worship leader Sean Feucht.
“One of NYC’s oldest churches is now up in flames,” Feucht wrote on X Thursday night. “Pray that they can save it!”
Derek Utley, a Republican political consultant and co-founder of X Strategies, said the unexplained burning of the church needs answers.
“This is more than just another building lost — it’s a painful symbol of America’s eroding heritage. For generations, this church represented the enduring values and traditions that built our communities. Watching centuries of history reduced to smoke and rubble hits hard in a city already strained by neglect and shifting priorities,” Utley said in a statement on Facebook.
“We must demand answers on the fire’s cause and renew our commitment to safeguarding sacred spaces. Too many houses of worship have fallen in recent years, reminding us that preserving our cultural foundations is essential if we hope to pass on a nation rooted in faith and resilience.”
At about 6:45 p.m. Thursday, the FDNY responded to reports of a fire at the First Reformed Church of Astoria at 27-26 12th Street in Queens. Units arrived and observed heavy fire in a vacant two-story rectory. The fire rapidly extended to the church, and units moved into both… pic.twitter.com/cQOewqJ1kl
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 24, 2026
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