A massive fire tore through a historic church in Astoria on Thursday, injuring six firefighters and threatening the future of the building. Photo via FDNY 
By Ryan Schwach
A five-alarm fire tore through a historic church in Astoria on Thursday night.
The 138-year-old First Reformed Church of Astoria is facing demolition because of the blaze, which also injured six firefighters.
The massive fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday at the 12th Street church, said FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore. Over 270 fire and EMS members responded to the scene.
When first responders arrived, they encountered the heavy fire tearing through the vacant two-story rectory of the church.
FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Kevin Woods said the flames quickly spread to the church, which was also vacant.
“Once the fire gets into these old churches, behind the walls and into the roof space, it’s very difficult to extinguish, and there was a major collapse danger to our members,” Woods said.
Six firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The church was rebuilt in 1888, according to Queens Borough Historian Joseph Antos, but the church was formed by Dutch residents of the community around 50 years prior, in 1839. The building that predated the current building was destroyed in a fire.
