Crews knock down fire at empty church in Echo Park

Crews knock down church fire

Los Angeles City firefighters knocked down a fire at an abandoned church on Thursday morning.

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles City firefighters knocked down a fire that broke out at a church in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood on Thursday morning. 

What we know:

LAFD officials said arriving crews discovered light smoke coming from the front door of the two-story church that was boarded-up. Echo Park United Methodist Church is located at the corner of Reservoir and N. Alvarado streets.

During the firefight, crews quickly determined the fire was coming from a closet. The fire was knocked down in 20 minutes with 44 firefighters at the scene. 

No injuries were reported.

The backstory:

After 100 years, the church was forced to close last year due to structural damage to the roof around its golden dome. 

In addition to offering religious services, it also served as a hub for the community. The church was in the process of opening apartments for families in its lower levels before it shut down.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Church in Echo Park shuts down after structural damage; How you can help