Priest treated for smoke inhalation following early morning fire at Monroeville church
MONROEVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) - A church was damaged and a priest was taken to the hospital after flames ripped through it early on Thursday morning.
A spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh told KDKA that EMS crews took a priest to the hospital for smoke inhalation but they have since been released.
"A priest was taken to the hospital for evaluation after breathing in smoke, and fortunately has since been released. There is extensive damage to the rectory. The cause is being investigated by the Allegheny County Fire Marshall. Bishop David Zubik is out of town for the Spring Meetings of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was informed of the fire and expressed his gratitude to the first responders and to God that nobody was seriously hurt."
The fire took place on Azalea Drive near Garden City Drive in Monroeville in the rectory of the Christ the Divine Shepherd Church.
From above, you can see the flames caused extensive damage to the building on the church's campus.
The fire started just after 12:30 a.m. and that's when crews were called to respond to the commercial structure fire. Penn Hills firefighters said they were called to assist when it was elevated to a two-alarm fire.
The diocese says Bishop David Zubik is out of town but was informed of the fire and has expressed his gratitude to the first responders and is thankful no one was seriously hurt.
Now, with the fire out, they'll begin picking up the pieces after the fire ripped through the rectory.
Jill Fischetti's belonged there since she was two years old.
"No other church feels like home," Fischetti said.
She lives down the road and didn't hear the sirens. Her neighbor, who is a former member, Judy Brown, did.
"I didn't think they were on my street," Brown said.
Both later learned there was a fire.
"[We were] concerned, you know, everybody got out okay," Brown said.
In a post on social media, the church said two priests were there at the time.
There's extensive damage to the rectory, where a hole in the roof can be viewed from above. Fischetti said it's where the kitchen is. She also said the rectory building houses the church office.
Fischetti is grateful everyone escaped, and that her parish is still standing.
"That would be very scary if it was gone," Fischetti said.
A Pittsburgh was arrested after allegedly starting the fire, the Allegheny County Police Department said.
According to the church's Facebook page, there will still be Mass Friday morning and this weekend. Vacation Bible School will go on next week.
The post said, "It'll take a lot more than a fire to stop this parish from living its mission."
