Firefighters Save Historic Staten Island Church

Firefighters walking toward a scene with hoses and a red emergency van — Photo: Tsuguliev / Shutterstock

New York City firefighters stopped a fast-moving warehouse blaze and kept a beloved Staten Island church unscathed.

Story Highlights

Firefighters contained a four-alarm fire in about three hours.
The Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne was spared from damage.
More than 200 responders battled wind, heat, and a roof collapse.
Officials reported one firefighter with a minor burn injury.

What Happened On Staten Island

Saturday evening, a vacant warehouse near Mount Loretto on Staten Island caught fire and grew to four alarms. Fire officials said the first alarm came just before 6 p.m., and the fire was under control by about 8:30 p.m. Crews faced heavy flames and strong winds that pushed heat toward nearby buildings. The warehouse suffered severe damage, and the roof collapsed during the fight, according to the Fire Department of the City of New York leadership.

Firefighters worked block by block to protect the surrounding community. The Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne, which is well known for exterior shots in The Godfather, stood close to the flames. Officials and local outlets reported the church was spared and did not suffer damage. Nearby schools, a senior center, and other structures were also protected through aggressive containment and exposure control tactics at the scene.

The Response And The Risks Crews Faced

Commanders mobilized a large force as the fire grew. Reports cited more than 200 firefighters on scene, with one account listing a combined 305 firefighters and emergency medical staff. Different counts likely reflect changing conditions and who was included in the total. One firefighter sustained a minor burn to the leg and was taken to a hospital for treatment. No civilian injuries were confirmed in the reports reviewed.

Strong winds, a collapsing roof, and heavy fire load raised the danger. Fire leaders said the warehouse had “heavy, heavy damage” after the roof failed. Collapse zones limited access and forced crews to fight the fire from safer positions. That approach can slow down searches but protects responders from falling debris. Despite the hazards, the attack contained the fire to the warehouse footprint and kept it from jumping to historic and community sites next door.

Why This Matters Beyond One Night

Warehouse fires are a recurring threat nationwide. The National Fire Protection Association estimates local departments respond to about 1,544 warehouse structure fires each year, causing roughly $314 million in direct property losses. Large floor areas and heavy fuel loads make these fires hard to stop once they take hold. The Staten Island outcome shows how trained teams, clear command, and exposure protection can limit damage to buildings people care about.

The Godfather is the least interesting thing about that church. It rose in the 1890s at Mount Loretto, Fr. John Drumgoole's home for New York's street kids, once America's largest child-care institution.

Fire gutted it in 1973. Cardinal Cooke vowed it would rise again. It did.

— Hold the Line West (@HoldTheLineWest) October 19, 2026

Investigators are now working to find the cause and point of origin. The Fire Marshal’s work will sort out how the blaze started and spread, which helps prevent the next one. Standard guides call for a methodical review of ignition sources, first fuels, and other factors to explain what happened and why. Officials had not released a final cause as of the latest reports, a normal step that can take time to complete.