LaGrave Church Pastor Mourns 'Tragic Loss' As Fire Destroys Site Of Planned Housing Respite Centre

A late-night fire has gutted a 133-year-old church building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, destroying the site of LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church's planned housing respite centre for people in crisis.

The fire broke out on Wednesday night near southeast Sheldon Boulevard and southeast Oakes Street. It destroyed a former Seventh-day Adventist building owned by the LaGrave Avenue church. The church's main sanctuary, located next door, was undamaged.

The LaGrave congregation had been preparing to repurpose the building into a safe haven for residents experiencing housing crises. The property, purchased in 2017, was nearing the start of a major renovation before the fire occurred.

Respite Centre Plans Disrupted

Pastor Peter M Jonker expressed disappointment over the loss of the late nineteenth-century structure, which was slated to become a key part of the church's community outreach. The congregation had invested significant financial resources and completed architectural drawings for the project.

'We were a long way down the road with plans to renovate,' Pastor Jonker said.

'We spent money. We've had drawings. So we were on the cusp of starting that. When we came down, there was just a little smoke, but pretty soon it was fully engaged. Tragic loss for the city.'

The historic masonry building was originally constructed in 1894 as the All Souls Universalist Church, according to the Grand Rapids City Archives. Due to the extent of the fire damage, officials expect the building to be declared a total loss.

Although the destruction marks a significant setback to a ministry vision intended to serve Grand Rapids' most vulnerable residents, the congregation is currently assessing its next steps.

Church leaders have not yet determined how they will proceed with their long-awaited outreach plans, choosing instead to focus on their gratitude that no lives were lost during the fire.

Fire Extinguished After Floor Collapse

The Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) launched a large emergency response shortly before 11pm, deploying a total of 19 fire crews to the scene. First responders were initially alerted by a bystander who ran to a nearby fire station to knock on the door.

Upon arrival, crews were met with heavy smoke billowing from the basement windows, indicating the fire was spreading through the hidden wall cavities of the brick structure.

Emergency crews began an interior attack using multiple hose lines, but deteriorating structural conditions forced a change in strategy.

'We were offence hard for about two hours and we just couldn't win this time,' GRFD Battalion Chief Kathleen Thompson explained. 'And so we ultimately, before the floor started to collapse, we had to pull out. And so now it's defence.'

The decision to retreat proved vital, as the building's floor collapsed shortly after firefighters evacuated the interior. During the response, one firefighter sustained a head injury after being struck by a falling brick, though he is expected to make a full recovery.

Off-duty personnel were called in to staff reserve vehicles and provide relief for crews working through the night. By 6am on Thursday, the fire was roughly 90 per cent contained. Authorities are now conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.