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AVONDALE, Ariz. - A large fire broke out in the west Valley early Wednesday morning, destroying a Catholic church.
The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. on May 1 at the St. William Catholic Church near 107th Avenue and Buckeye Road.
When firefighters got to the scene, they found flames coming from the church's attic. Crews used a defensive strategy to fight the fire, which caused the roof to collapse.
"This is a devastating loss to this community," Avondale Fire Battalion Chief Steve Mayhew said. "This church is a pillar of this community, so definitely a lot of heartbreak this morning."
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Fire destroys Avondale Catholic church
A massive fire broke out on May 1 at St. William Catholic Church near 107th Avenue and Buckeye Road. No one was hurt in the blaze. FOX 10's Dominique Newland reports.
"I also run the pantry here at St. Williams – that's gone," said Gonzalo Ortiz, a parish member of the church. "So now we're going to have to get some food, somehow, to all these people. We're going to need a lot of prayers. We also are going to need a lot of help."
The fire didn't spread to any nearby structures. No injuries were reported.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire.
A massive fire broke out on May 1 at St. William Catholic Church near 107th Avenue and Buckeye Road. No one was hurt in the blaze.