Ross Avenue Baptist Church Damaged

In Overnight Fire

Date of Incident: Thursday, March 28, 2002

Location: 5201 Ross Avenue

Response: 18 pieces of heavy fire equipment, 74 firefighters

Times: 1^st alarm – 11:33 p.m., Thursday; 2^nd alarm – 12:10 a.m., Friday.

3^rd alarm – 12:19 a.m., 4^th alarm – 12:58 a.m. Fire brought under control at

2:24 a.m., Friday morning, March 29, 2002.

Cause: An electrical short which occurred between the ground floor and the second story.

Injuries: Two. (1) One firefighter suffered a shoulder injury when a he fell through a hole in a floor. He was taken to Baylor Hospital, treated, and released this morning. (2) A second firefighter also suffered an ankle injury at the same location. He was treated at the scene.

Damages: $1,000,000 total: $750,000 to structure, and $250,000 to contents

Details: Early efforts to fight the fire were made from the inside of the church, as well as from the outside. As it became more apparent that the fire was spreading through the walls of the historic structure, firefighters were withdrawn from the interior and began their exterior attack. Most of the heavy damage was to the sanctuary, which occupied the second and third floors.

END