More than 100 firefighters converged this afternoon on St. James Church, the second oldest Catholic church in Manhattan. Smoke was visible from the top floor when we arrived shortly after 12:30. Fire crews had trouble reaching the flames from the inside, so they extended ladders from the roof of the rectory and from the ground in front of the church.
Archbishop Timothy Dolan was on the scene at 32 James Street (just below Chatham Square). He thanked firefighters who responded just four minutes after the first 911 call came in. According to fire officials no one was injured and the damage appears to be fairly minimal. Investigators are working on finding out where and how the fire started.
The Greek Revival structure was built in 1837. More photos after the jump.
