People hurt in Easter Sunday fire at Brooklyn church

On Easter Sunday, the atmosphere turned alarming for residents of East New York as flames consumed Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii Church on Seigel Street, - Spectrum News NY1 writes.

The fire, escalating to five alarms, captured the attention of parishioners, many of whom were attending a 1 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass conducted in Spanish.

“All of a sudden, flames came out,” Valcassel, a longtime parishioner, said. “That’s where I freaked out. It was getting close to the church.”

Valcassel's account of the event revealed how his Easter gathering with family swiftly turned into a nightmare. “I look up, I see smoke,” he said. “I say, ‘Oh my God, that’s my church, it's burning.’ It was where the priests and the nuns sleep at. That’s where we have our meeting with the teenagers.”

Fire authorities reported that approximately 150 parishioners evacuated the church in an orderly manner. Three civilians and three firefighters sustained minor injuries, with one firefighter falling from the second floor to the first during the blaze.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Brooklyn mentioned that while the rectory and parish center suffered significant damage, the church itself, where services are held, endured only smoke and water damage, largely due to a closed door separating the affected areas.

John Quaglione, deputy press secretary for the Diocese, commended the efforts of responders. "To witness these individuals, over 200 of them, managing to control the fire," he stated. "They kept the door closed, protecting the parishioners. The fire didn't spread to the church, and thankfully, there were no fatalities. It's almost like an Easter miracle."

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Meanwhile, the city's Department of Buildings has issued a full vacate order on the structure due to safety concerns arising from the extent of the damage.