Flames that engulfed the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava on Sunday seemed much more intense than a blaze sparked by church candles, FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Gala said...
The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava in Manhattan, in New York was engulfed in a massive fire on Easter Sunday. The blaze broke out at the 160-year-old church around 7pm, shortly after Easter celebrations were finished.
The fire spread so quickly that firefighters were not able to go inside and needed more than 3 hours to put the flames under control.
The four-alarm blaze took no lives and caused no serious injuries, but sent more than 170 firefighters to the scene on West 25th Street in lower Manhattan.
On Monday, fire officials called the blaze 'suspicious' since it seemed more intense than a fire sparked by candles.
"We were not immediately able to determine the cause, si it's being deemed suspicios and is under investigations," FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Gala said.
At the same time, on Orthodox Easter, another three Christian Orthodox churches on other continents go up in flames - sparking fears of a coordinated attack on the religion.
Alongside the historic Manhattan cathedral, fire sent in ruble to Macedonian Church in Sydney's suburb Rockdale, and In Melbourne, the 115-year-old Holy Church of Annunciation of Our Lady, a Greek Orthodox church, was damaged by a fire that was contained to the roof, authorities said.
In Russia, flames caught the historic Valam Monastery in Lake Ladoga on the same day.
Professor on Serbian Faculty of Security dr Darko Trifunovic said "fire at four Orthodox churches around the world on the holiest day for Christianity can not be accidental".
He told Serbian National Broadcaster RTS that there is suspicion of coordinated action and expresed expectation that thorough FBI investigation should uncover who is behind the fires at churches.
