FDNY says, Serbian Orthodox church burning in Manhattan

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The FDNY battles a blaze at Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava on West 25th Street in Manhattan on 

Sunday, May 1, 2016.

New York City firefighters Sunday evening responded to a four-alarm blaze that engulfed an historic gothic-style church in Manhattan.

About 170 firefighters were dispatched to the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava on West 25th Street, according to FDNY officials.

The fire broke out early Sunday evening on the same day as the Orthodox Easter holiday, according to FDNY officials.Flames could be seen shooting out from the church’s roof, and smoke billowed over nearby buildings in the Flatiron neighborhood.

An FDNY spokesman said a 911 call reporting the blaze came in about 6:49 p.m. At least 39 FDNY units were dispatched to the scene.

One minor injury was reported — a civilian who refused medical treatment, the spokesman said. It was not immediately clear if the person was inside the church at the time of the fire.

The church was designed in 1850, in the “Gothic Revival” architectural style, and was consecrated in 1855, according to the church’s website.A possible cause has not yet been determined, the spokesman said.

It was previously known as the Trinity Church, serving the Episcopal Diocese in New York, before it was purchased in 1943 by the Serbian Orthodox church.

In 1968 the cathedral was designated a New York City landmark.

The current Trinity Church is near Wall Street and Broadway near the World Trade Center.