x
Breaking News
More () »

Cause of 2-alarm church fire under investigation

The Arlington County Fire Prevention Office concluded that the fire started in the attic space, but the cause remains undetermined.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Firefighters are still working to figure out how a building connected to a historic church in Arlington caught fire early Friday morning.

Crews with the Arlington Fire Department were called to the scene of a fire at Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in the 1500 block of N. Glebe Road around 2:42 a.m. 

When firefighters arrived, they found flames coming through the roof of a building that was attached to the church, but not the church itself. A second alarm was called to bring more resources to the scene and bring the fire under control.

The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes of dispatch time Friday morning, according to firefighters. Crews remained on scene to remove debris and monitor hot spots so that the fire does not flair up again.

The Fire Marshal's Office was also called to the scene of the fire to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze.

According to Mt. Olivet's website, the church was established in 1854 and is Arlington's oldest church site in continuous use.

In a letter to the congregation at the church, Pastor Sara Keeling said the fire began in the attic above the music and education wing of the church complex. Keeling said there is likely extensive smoke and water damage to that part of the building, but the sanctuary and preschool wings were not damaged. 

Pastor Keeling said worship services were canceled at the church until further notice as the building is not secure and the fire investigation is ongoing.

"We are beyond grateful that no one was injured and this was no worse than it is, but we still ask that you be in prayer for our community, clergy, and staff as we navigate the following days and weeks," Keeling wrote.

The Arlington County Fire Prevention Office conducted a thorough origin and cause investigation and concluded that the fire started in the attic space. The cause remains undetermined. Officials said the estimated damages are $1,000,000. 

RELATED: Child hospitalized in Prince George's Co. kitchen fire

RELATED: 2-alarm fire displaces 21 people in Montgomery Co.

WUSA9 is now on Roku and Amazon Fire TVs. Download the apps today for live newscasts and video on demand.

Download the WUSA9 app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.

Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.
Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021.

Before You Leave, Check This Out