By Kyle Morel
A fire caused the roof to collapse on a Montclair Church Tuesday morning. One township minister called it a total loss.
Around 25 minutes after fire reports were made, Grace Presbyterian Church’s roof on Grove Street collapsed. At 9 am on Tuesday, flames were visible bursting from the roof.
A fire official could not determine the cause of fire immediately.
Peter Yacobellis, a Montclair Councilor at Large who posted on Facebook that several firefighters had suffered minor injuries.
Yacobellis wrote: “It is my sincerest hope and pray that this magnificent building – which happens to be one of my favorites in Montclair — can be preserved.”
Greg Horn, the pastor of Upper Montclair Presbyterian Church’s page on Facebook, said that the building had suffered “what seems to be a complete loss.”
Horn claimed that no one had been in the building at the time the fire began.
Join me and Grace Presbyterian Church in prayer. Grace Presbyterian Church is a long-time neighbor and ministry partner. Please also pray for firefighters who put their lives at risk to save this building. “Thank you for their good health.”
Bill Offutt who lives nearby and has been living there for over 20 years says that the church holds many events in front of its building, including a food donation box.
Offutt described them as good neighbors. They’ve helped, but I don’t know if they can save the building.
The church’s website states that it has over 500 members in Montclair and surrounding towns.
In addition to Montclair, firefighters from Belleville and West Orange responded, as did East Orange, Bloomfield and Clifton.
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