Multiple-alarm fire overnight destroys vacant church east of downtown Kansas City

Firefighters on Monday continued to extinguish hot spots from a multiple-alarm fire that destroyed a vacant church east of downtown Kansas City.

The fire was reported about 10:15 p.m. Sunday at the church at 1117 E. Ninth Street, which is on the corner of Ninth Street and Forest Avenue. The church at one time had been home to the Rock of our Salvation Ministries.

Shortly after arriving, firefighters requested that a second-alarm be sounded. A collapse zone was set up around the building.

Early Monday morning, the Kansas City Fire Department said via Twitter that there was a partial roof collapse.

Investigators remained at the church Monday, working to determine the cause of the fire.

The First Church of Christ, Scientist was built in the late 1890s. The church is architecturally significant for its Gothic Revival design, according to a 1992 report prepared for the Landmarks Commission of Kansas City.

The stone structure with terra cotta roofing and low, square towers was “considered one of the most beautiful in this part of the country,” according to Missouri Valley Special Collections at the Kansas City Public Library.

This story was originally published August 20, 2018 at 2:24 PM.