Massive fire destroys Catholic church in Avondale: ‘Devastating loss for the community’ [Video]

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 …