2 days ago
132-year-old Minnesota church destroyed in fire
The Brief
First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cosmos, Minnesota, burned down early Thursday morning.
The Meeker County Sheriff's Office said authorities found the church engulfed in flames around 1:30 a.m.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is still being investigated.
COSMOS TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - A historic church in Cosmos, Minnesota that stood for more than 130 years burned to the ground overnight after a fire ripped through the structure.
Photos of the church taken during the fire by Aaron Lueck can be seen below:
Fire burns down Cosmos church
Big picture view
The Meeker County Sheriff's Office said the fire was reported by a passerby who "noticed a glow" while driving on Highway 4 at about 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. That passerby then checked the 54900 block of 145th Street in Cosmos Township and found the church engulfed in flames.
The church is considered a total loss despite multiple fire departments responding to the blaze.
No injuries were reported and officials say the cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Several graves are located near the church, but the headstones were not damaged by the blaze.
Photos of the fire's aftermath can be viewed below:
Dig deeper
Photos shared by a church congregation member showed an ATF agent investigating the fire.
An ATF official said the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office asked for their assistance in the fire investigation, prompting a certified fire investigator (CFI) from the ATF to respond to the scene.
The ATF adds that while the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office is the lead agency in the investigation, CFIs are "trained special agents who rapidly deploy to fire scenes to examine evidence, determine origin, and cause, and conduct complex forensic investigations."
Meeker County historical records and congregation members say the church was built in 1893.
Congregation speaks
What they're saying
"My mom was confirmed here, and then I was baptized here and I also had my confirmation, and then my own kids have been baptized here," said Quincy McNeil, a congregation member. "That tradition, that faith, as a family, with God has been outstanding, and so to see something like this, it just makes it so hard because now I know there won't be any more future memories at least with this church itself."
Pastor Mindy Czycalla has faith that good things are ahead for the congregation, saying, "The church isn't just the building, the church is more so, the people, and the extension of them."
What you can do
A fundraiser for the church can be found here.
The Source
This story uses information shared by the Meeker County Sheriff's Office and members of the church congregation.
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