UNITED STATES—St. Joseph’s Catholic Church located at 11001 N. 40th St. in Phoenix, Arizona caught fire on Wednesday, May 1. According to reports, 60 firefighters battled the blaze that burned the establishment to the ground.
The Pheonix Fire Department stated on its website that “Fire crews arrived at the scene of St. Joseph Church early this morning. Fire crews arrived to find a well-involved fire to the inside of the Church. The fire had spread to the attic of the Church and had begun to burn through the roof. Fire crews made the decision to switch to a defensive strategy due to the volume of fire.”
The North Pheonix Fire Department posted the following video on their web page.
Phoenix Fire crews on the scene of St Joseph Church in north Phoenix early this morning. Fire crews arrived to find a well involved fire to the inside of the church. The fire had spread to the attic of the church and had begun to burn through the roof. Fire crews made the decision to switch to a defensive strategy due to the volume of fire. No injuries on the fire ground.
Posted by Phoenix Fire Department on Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Faithful Catholics celebrated Mass on May 1, as the Feast Day of St. Joseph, the worker. Catholics worldwide were also celebrating Mass commemorating the end of the year of St. Joseph on May 1.
“St. Joseph Catholic Church, a fixture in the North Pheonix community for almost 50 years, was destroyed by fire the evening of April 30th. In times such as this, we know our faith will carry us through this difficult time. Please pray for our Parish community and our Pastor, Father Reggie. In our strength, we will move toward our 50th Anniversary as a beacon of hope and love. Please consider a donation to help us rebuild our Church,” said St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in a statement.
The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix issued the following statement regarding the fire at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
There were no reports of any injuries during the fire. The official cause of the fire is still under investigation.
