Fire Rips Through 173-Year-Old NYC Church (Video)

A massive fire tore through a historic Brooklyn church on Friday, sending thick black smoke into the sky and causing the building’s steeple to collapse in a devastating scene witnesses described as a total loss.

The blaze erupted around 1:20 p.m. at South Bushwick Reformed Church on Bushwick Avenue near Himrod Street, according to the FDNY.

Video from the scene showed heavy flames and smoke pouring from the steeple area of the 173-year-old landmarked church as firefighters rushed to contain the fast-moving inferno.

BREAKING: A fire has broken out at a church on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, prompting the FDNY to request a third-alarm response. pic.twitter.com/eLoqzc40TD

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 19, 2026

Within about 20 minutes of the fire breaking out, the church’s steeple reportedly came crashing down. A witness on X said the house of worship had suffered catastrophic damage, calling it “a total loss.”

The fire quickly grew into a three-alarm emergency, drawing a massive response from the FDNY. Officials said 63 units and nearly 200 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene.

Firefighters battled the flames for more than two hours before the fire was mostly knocked down around 3:35 p.m., according to the department.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries during the response. He was treated by EMS at the scene but refused further medical attention, officials said.

No other injuries were immediately reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The church was built in 1853, making it one of Bushwick’s historic religious landmarks. But its roots stretch back even further. According to the National Fund for Sacred Places, the congregation began forming during the city’s Dutch settlement era in the 17th century.

The building’s steeple had already faced trouble in recent years.

In August 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias knocked the spire askew, according to the fund. While the steeple had been repaired after previous storms, officials said the deeper structural issue had not been fully addressed.

Department of Buildings records show the church was issued a violation in August 2021 after an inspection found the steeple was leaning, with parts of the roof hanging loose and in danger of falling.

The church later received $100,000 through congregation donations and an Intervention Fund grant, allowing repairs to the spire to be completed in 2022.

But on Friday, flames ripped through the beloved landmark, leaving behind a heartbreaking scene for a congregation with centuries of history in New York City.