The roof of a 19th-century part of the First Baptist Dallas Church in the city’s downtown appeared to have collapsed.
A fire that broke out Friday at the First Baptist Dallas church, a landmark in the city’s downtown, appeared to cause major damage to an old part of the church complex.
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Robert Jeffress, said that he understood from his conversations with fire officials that in the fire’s final phase, the roof of what is known as the historic sanctuary had collapsed.
“We will have to see about whether we try to recreate it or do something else,” he said in an interview.
Dallas Fire-Rescue did not immediately provide information about the fire, but a spokesman told The Dallas Morning News that part of the structure had collapsed.
Gavin Nicholson, who lives in a high-rise apartment complex that overlooks the church complex, confirmed that it looked like a roof collapse; he could see flames coming from the center of the building.
“A piece of Dallas history is gone,” said Mr. Nicholson, who is the chief of staff for Venton Jones, a state representative whose district includes a portion of the city.
No one was hurt in the blaze, which started shortly after the church had held a summer Bible school event that included 2,000 children, Mr. Jeffress said. That had been held in another section of the church.
“Fortunately they were all gone when the fire erupted,” he said in an interview, adding that its cause was not known.
Mr. Jeffress is known nationally as one of the most high-profile and outspoken evangelical supporters of former President Donald J. Trump. On Sunday, he attributed Mr. Trump’s survival of an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania to God’s providence.
Videos posted to social media showed the building engulfed in orange flames and black smoke billowing to the sky. Witnesses reported hearing a loud blast.
The First Baptist Dallas church is a sprawling complex made up of several connected buildings. The historic sanctuary, built in 1890, was where the church held smaller, contemporary services. With its stained glass and prominent pipe organ, it has also been a popular wedding venue.
Mr. Jeffress said there was no significant damage to other parts of the complex.
Firefighters responded to the blaze at the sanctuary just after 6 p.m. local time. Over the next two hours, more than 60 firefighting units responded, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue’s website. Mr. Jeffress said around 11 p.m. that the fire had been contained.
In a post on social media, a former pastor of the church, O.S. Hawkins, called it a “tragically sad day” for the congregation.
The church, which has 16,000 members, was established in 1868, just a few decades after Dallas itself.
Unlike many newer megachurches typically found in the suburbs or exurbs of major cities, First Baptist Dallas is squarely downtown, near office buildings, museums and hotels. Along with its regular membership, it attracts a steady stream of tourists and visitors drawn by high-profile events like its annual “Freedom Sunday” celebration around the Fourth of July.
In a statement posted on social media, the church said it was thankful for the emergency workers who went to the scene and that it plans to meet on Sunday. Mr. Jeffress said the location was still to be determined.
“The church is not about wood and brick and mortar,” he said. “It’s people.”
