Cause of Albany church fire determined

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- The cause of the Elijah Missionary Baptist Church fire that occurred Thursday night has been determined. The fire was caused by a space heater on the second floor, Mayor Kathy Sheehan's Deputy Chief of Staff Alyson Baker said.

The church, located at 70 Second Avenue, caught fire around 11 p.m. Thursday. There were no reports of injury or damage to surrounding properties, but two living in the church were displaced.

Bishop Avery Comithier owns and has lived in the church for six years, with his cousin who has lived there for two years. They are currently staying in a nearby hotel.

On Monday, crews began taking down parts of the building. According to Baker, demolition to the back half of the building, where the fire consumed, is ongoing and once completed the remainder of the building will be taken down.

"After thorough inspection of the Elijah Missionary Baptist Church by our buildings professionals and consideration of any potential stabilization efforts, we have determined in the interest of public safety the remaining portion of the church must be removed due to the damage sustained by the recent fire," Baker told NEWS10.

The entire demolition will likely take another week, she added. The bishop says he’s working with another local pastor to find a permanent home for his congregation. Whether or not the church will be rebuilt, or something new will be erected on its spot, remains unknown.