Investigators look into cause of fire at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Phoenix

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- St. Joseph's Catholic Church in north Phoenix was gutted by an overnight fire.

Investigators are looking into the cause.

Phoenix police say they are also looking into vandalism at a Presbyterian church and a school in the area. But there's no evidence those cases are connected.

"No injuries were reported and no physical evidence links these two scenes to each other, or the church fire that occurred nearby," said a statement from Phoenix police.

The Phoenix Fire Department said when fire crews first arrived, they found an extensive fire inside the church that was growing rapidly.

After firefighters gained access inside the church and attempted to contain the fire, it spread to the attic and began burning through the roof of the church.

Linda Sunshine was getting ready for bed when the sirens alerted her to the fire.

"I scurried out the front door, looked out, saw the squad car stopped at the corner, turned around and looked at the church and I could see smoke and flames going through the roof of the church," she said.  

The Phoenix Fire Department said fire crews determined it was unsafe to fight the fire from inside and switched to a defensive strategy because of the volume of the fire.

"Our crews were unable to make an attack on the fire safely," said Capt. Danny Gile. "In our world, minutes are a long time. It's a very unsafe operation for us."

Fire crews continued to battle the flames for over an hour, preventing it from spreading to other nearby buildings of the church.

"We never want to lose these buildings, especially a church," said Gile. "They are such a beacon of hope for our community."

"It's a great congregation, very friendly people," said Sunshine. "It's a travesty."

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St. Joseph Parish was set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in August.

(Source: Phoenix Fire Department)
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and an investigation will begin once the fire is fully extinguished and deemed safe to enter the structure.

No firefighters were injured while battling the blaze. 

The fire has temporarily closed 40th Street between Shea Boulevard and Cactus Road.

St. Joseph Parish was set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in August.

"It just breaks my heart," said Sunshine. "It's a staple to the neighborhood."

The parish broke ground on the church in January of 1972 and the multi-purpose building was completed in October of that year, according to its website.

Weekly mass, confessions and other church activities are hosted at the church. azfamily