Massive fire destroys Catholic church in Avondale: 'Devastating loss for the community'

AVONDALE, Ariz. - A large fire broke out in the west Valley early Wednesday morning, destroying a Catholic church.

The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. on May 1 at the St. William Catholic Church near 107th Avenue and Buckeye Road.

When firefighters got to the scene, they found flames coming from the church's attic. Crews used a defensive strategy to fight the fire, which caused the roof to collapse.

"This is a devastating loss to this community," Avondale Fire Battalion Chief Steve Mayhew said. "This church is a pillar of this community, so definitely a lot of heartbreak this morning."

"I also run the pantry here at St. Williams – that's gone," said Gonzalo Ortiz, a parish member of the church. "So now we're going to have to get some food, somehow, to all these people. We're going to need a lot of prayers. We also are going to need a lot of help."

The fire didn't spread to any nearby structures. No injuries were reported.

Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire.

Map of where the church is located