Historic Astoria, Queens, church faces demolition after devastating fire

A historic church in Queens was gutted after a five-alarm fire ripped through it Thursday night.

The former First Reformed Church of Astoria has been vacant for some time, but residents say they hope to see the site preserved.

Complaints of trespassing, illegal activity

The fire left the church hollowed out, with its walls and roof gone. One emergency management official said the building will have to be demolished.

Drones were used by fire and Office of Emergency Management officials at the scene Friday morning, monitoring potential hot spots.

The Department of Buildings issued a vacate order in the church building itself and a nearby home because the site is considered a potential collapse zone.

"The buildings department will come out here, erect a fence around the entire property to protect the public around here from going in and out," New York City Emergency Management Coordinator Brett Asher said.

The DOB said it received three complaints this past month alone for trespassing and what it describes as illegal activity in and around the building.

Officials are still investigating the exact cause of the fire. 

Of the hundreds of first responders on scene, six firefighters were injured, at least one due to falling bricks. Officials say all have since been released from the hospital.

"A great loss to the area"

The church is an historic building that dates back to the 1800s. The DOB is trying to figure out how to preserve parts of it. 

Area residents say it's a loss for their community, even though the church was vacant. They say there was an active, vibrant church community, including summer camps and weddings held at the church.

"This church is historic, probably 1850. It was called the Dutch Reform Church and it's been abandoned for a year, so in a way I'm not surprised there's been a fire," Astoria resident Dominique Perrot said. "It makes me cry."

Ramon Polanco has been in the neighborhood for at least 50 years and has fond memories of the church.

"That's been part of my life for the longest," he said. "It's a great loss to the area because a lot of people came by to look at the building and stuff like that it'd be a shame if we lost it. I hope they rebuild it."