Fire crews battle flames at church in Old Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville firefighters worked Saturday night to put out a heavy fire at Greater New Hope Community Church in Old Louisville.

The Louisville Fire Department was dispatched around 8:25 p.m. to the fire at East Jacob and South Floyd streets.

"Crews were on scene within one minute to find heavy smoke and heavy fire," Louisville Fire Department Chief Bobby Cooper said.

As of 10:13 p.m., more than 70 firefighters had brought the fire under control.

Fire department officials are unsure if the church was an active congregation, but Cooper said he doesn't believe anyone was inside at the time of the fire. No one was injured in the fire.

Flames could be seen coming out of the roof of the building. Once crews responded to the three-story building, firefighters discovered that the roof partially collapsed.

"We are only attacking the fire from the exterior," Cooper said.

The building was originally constructed in the 1920s as the Keneseth Israel Synagogue. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Cooper said an arson investigation will take place to determine what caused the fire.