Arson investigation underway after vacant Echo Park church catches fire

An arson investigation is underway after a vacant church in Echo Park caught fire early Thursday morning. 

The blaze was reported at around 7 a.m. inside of the Echo Park United Methodist Church, located in the 1200 block of N. Alvarado Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. 

It took nearly four dozen firefighters about 20 minutes to extinguish the flames, which they said started inside of a closet in the boarded-up two-story church. 

With SkyCal overhead, crews both on the roof of the building and on the ground outside could be seen with some white smoke billowing out of the church. 

Crews said damage to the church was minimal, but they contacted Los Angeles police for an arson investigation to determine what sparked the blaze. 

No injuries were reported.