Indianapolis, Indiana – Firefighters battled a large and destructive church fire overnight on the city’s east side, keeping crews on scene for several hours in extreme winter conditions.
According to the Indianapolis Fire Department, crews were dispatched at approximately 10:42 p.m. Friday to a reported structure fire at the Independent Nazarene Church, located in the 5100 block of East Hornet Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire and smoke pushing from the single-story building, with flames spreading through the attic space from one end of the structure to the other.
Firefighters initially attempted an aggressive interior attack, but operations were complicated when a vehicle allegedly struck and severed a water supply line on Emerson Avenue. At the same time, worsening fire conditions inside the building forced commanders to pull crews back and transition to a defensive strategy.
A partial roof collapse occurred shortly after the defensive posture was established. Firefighters continued working from the exterior, battling the blaze amid brutal cold temperatures and snow-covered ground.
The fire took approximately three hours to bring under control, with crews remaining on scene for an additional two hours to fully extinguish hot spots. Officials confirmed the church was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Indianapolis Fire Department officials said the fire was one of several working fires handled in the past 24 hours, part of a busy start to the year for crews. As of early February, the department has responded to dozens of structure fires citywide.
Roads near East Hornet Avenue were impacted during the response as fire apparatus, hoses, and emergency vehicles blocked access during overnight operations.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
For commuters, residents, and nearby businesses, cleanup and assessment continued Saturday morning as crews cleared the scene and investigators began their work.
