- The Victory Outreach Church in Pomona, Los Angeles, California was burned down Sunday morning
- The 12,000 square foot building was built in 1981
- No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation
A Los Angeles church built in 1981 was destroyed by a massive fire early Sunday morning.
The second-alarm fire engulfed Victory Outreach Church in Pomona, just outside Pasadena, around 2:45 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Dozens of firefighters worked to battle the inferno that stretched across the 12,000-square-foot building.
Pastor Robert Garcia rushed to the scene and was told by firefighters that they believed the church would be a “total loss.”
There were no injuries and the flames were under control by 7 a.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Victory Outreach Church in Pomona, Los Angeles went up in flames around 2:45 a.m. on Sunday
The 12,000-square-foot building was built in 1981 and was scheduled to host a community toy drive on Sunday evening
“Pastor, when it's all said and done, the building will be burned down, but the church will still be standing because we are the church,” a congregation member told Garcia.
Many members of Congress reached the scene of the fire to support each other and pray.
An outreach event was planned for Sunday evening at the church to give 500 toys to local children in need
According to a Facebook post from the Victory Outreach Pomona, that event will still take place, but in the parking lot across from the burned building.
The intensity of the fire was so intense that at one point firefighters had to distance themselves from the flames in case the old building collapsed.
“When they arrived on scene, they saw heavy smoke and fire coming through this old church,” Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher Berkoh said.
Berkoh also said firefighters were there for about 20 minutes before the roof began to collapse and the flames grew thicker.
“So they had to go into a defensive mode and a defensive operation,” Berkoh said.
a GoFundMe A page has also been created to raise money for the reconstruction of the church.
The huge fire was brought under control around 7 a.m. and no injuries were reported
Dozens of firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene. Capt. Sheila Kelliher Berkoh said the flames were so intense that the roof began to collapse
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise donations to eventually rebuild the church
“Since 1981, this church has helped bring families and the Pomona community together,” said the page's organizer, Monica Rivera.
“It now needs the prayers and help of the community to help rebuild together.”
More than €8,000 has been raised out of the $500,000 donation goal.
“Even though at the end of the day we know something positive will come out of it, there is a process,” Pastor Garcia shared. KTLA5.
Another disastrous fire broke out Monday evening at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Ray, injuring two Los Angeles firefighters.
Pastor Robert Garcia rushed to the scene and was told by firefighters that they believe the church will be a 'total loss'
The California Yacht Club was founded in 1922 and built in 1967. The clubhouse burned down Monday night, but the many boats surrounding the club were intact
When crews arrived on scene, thick smoke and flames engulfed the two-story building that was erected in 1922 and built in 1967.
The two male firefighters who were injured suffered minor injuries while battling the flames. They were taken to a local hospital, Los Angeles County Fire Department PIO Fred Fielding said.
Photos revealed the now charred outline of the clubhouse, where the California Yacht Club said the fire damaged it.
The many boats around the club were intact and the roof of the clubhouse also appeared unaffected by the flames.