Twenty-five days after a three-alarm fire gutted South Bushwick Reformed Church on Bushwick Avenue — a city landmark since 1968 — the FDNY has opened an arson investigation. Demolition of the sanctuary is scheduled to complete this August.
The Fire Department is investigating the June 19 three-alarm fire that destroyed the main sanctuary of South Bushwick Reformed Church on Bushwick Avenue near Himrod Street as possibly having been set intentionally, News 12 Brooklyn reported July 14.
"It adds another layer of grief to this situation," Pastor James Steward told News 12. "We are even more disturbed, devastated that someone would intentionally target us. And we don't know why."
FDNY confirmed the investigation is continuing; no suspects or arrests have been announced. The June 19 fire — which broke out on a Thursday afternoon and drew a three-alarm response — gutted the 173-year-old building, a New York City landmark designation it has held since 1968. A Department of Buildings emergency vacate order followed; demolition crews were on site as of July 14, with a posted notice scheduling demolition completion for August.
Steward told News 12 that the congregation is considering its path forward: "We're exploring all of our options — what does that mean in terms of being able to develop possibly after that or move to a different location to serve."
The church has been holding remote services since the fire. The Fire Department has not said whether the arson investigation has affected the demolition timeline or the DOB vacate order.

