Suffolk (VA) firefighters responded to a New Year’s Day fire at a local church that injured one person.
On Sunday morning, January 1, 2023, Suffolk Fire & Rescue units responded to a structure fire at the New Jerusalem Church Ministry in the 400 block of East Pinner Street.
Crews responded at around 4:18 a.m. and arrived on scene in roughly five minutes. Battalion 1 found heavy smoke and fire showing from the rear of the second floor of the two-story church. The second floor of the church was occupied at the time of the fire and all occupants were out of the church when firefighters arrived.
An aggressive interior attack was initiated by Engine 3’s crew while Ladder 3 and Rescue 1’s crews performed a primary search of the church. Crews isolated the fire to the second floor of the church. Two occupants were in the church at the time of the fire, and one person was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with smoke inhalation and has nonlife-threatening injuries.
The fire was placed under control at 05:08 a.m.
