DALLAS — Dallas Fire-Rescue mounted a major offensive to put out a fast-spreading blaze at a historic church in Dallas Tuesday afternoon.
The department responded to a structure fire at Saintsville Church located at 2200 South Marsalis Avenue. This is west of Cedar Crest Golf Course and east of Wynnewood Village.
The initial call was received a little before 2 p.m., and the first arriving crews found smoke spreading from the vents and part of the roof.
Immediate fire suppression efforts started once firefighters arrived, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Around 5 p.m., the blaze was out aside for hot spots that were being monitored. Six ladder trucks were attacking the building at one point during the fire.
A fire official said the situation rose to a six-alarm response due to the extreme heat. About 150 firefighters responded to the scene, according to officials.
Firefighters had to deal with a heat index of 110-plus degrees on the official hottest day of the year, so far, at DFW. Many appeared to be working in shifts, relieving others so no one would be entirely fighting the fire at all times.
No injuries were reported. The church's secretary told WFAA that she and others noticed smoke in the building as they were closing the office for the day.
Everyone evacuated, and the fire department was called. The cause of it is being investigated.
Church members showed up to watch firefighters battle the flames from afar. Many were heartbroken by what they saw; the church had recently been renovated and has been around for decades.