Historic Kansas Church Destroyed in Fire, Devastates Community
The historic Westport Presbyterian Church of Kansas City has been extensively damaged after being ravaged by flames on Thursday.
The powerful fire has devastated one of the city’s oldest churches. The 107-year-old stonewalls survived the fire, but the roof, engulfed in flames, was destroyed.
Kansas City firefighters rushed to the scene after the church’s secretary detected smoke and called 911 Thursday evening. The heavy smoke and intense fire in the building prevented the firefighters from entering, forcing them to treat the fire from the outside using ladders. At least four trucks were used to pour water onto the flames, reported the local ABC Kansas new channel.
Upon arriving part of the building collapsed, but firefighters were able to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading to neighboring buildings such as the Harris-Kearney House, which hosts the Westport Historical Society’s museum.
Investigators from the Kansas City Fire Department plan on entering the church Friday to survey the damage and find the source of the fire.
Although Westport Presbyterian was built in 1904, the church had been serving the community since 1835. Although the first 30 years of the church's records were lost when it became battlegrounds for the Civil War, church leaders determined that Alexander Majors, a forerunner in the Pony Express, was an elder in 1943. Also according to the Kansas City Star, founder of Westport John Clavin McCoy was also an elder to the church.
The landmark stone church had served the Kansas City community as an arts center as well as a place for social-service groups to meet. In addition, it was a place of worship every Sunday for dozens of people in the area.
Speaking to the Star, Reverend Scott Myers described the scene of the fire.
The church’s pastor said, “It looks like a really terrible loss.”
Churchgoers of Westport Presbyterian reported that the flames started at the back of the church, where the kitchen and meetings rooms are located.
After 175 years of service to the community, the members of the small congregation said that the church would likely be lost.
