Investigation Continues for Fire at Dallas Church’s Historic Chapel

Investigators are determining the cause of a massive four-alarm fire that destroyed the historic chapel at First Baptist Dallas Church. Despite the destruction, church leaders remain committed to continuing services in the coming days and weeks.

Three days after the fire, people continue to visit the site to see what remains of the chapel, which holds decades of memories for many. The historic chapel, a Victorian-style red brick church built in 1890 and designated a Texas Historic Landmark, went up in flames Friday evening. Firefighters took around three hours to control the blaze. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed.

Executive pastor Ben Lovvorn, who was baptized and married in the chapel, spoke about the significance of the building. “Believe it or not, my family has been in this church for five generations, over one hundred years,” he said. “I grew up, just like our pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress, sitting in that room, the historic sanctuary.”

In the short term, church leaders aim to bring the congregation back into the adjacent sanctuary by Sunday. This involves ensuring the air is clean and items are sanitized. On Monday, pastors and engineers presented a 200-page report to Dallas Fire Rescue, outlining a plan to secure the building and preserve the site for investigation.

“The report presents a plan that would allow us to construct a structure that would help us secure the building,” Lovvorn explained. “In the meantime, we will make sure everything is safe and preserve the site for future reconstruction.”

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the church is determined to move forward. The extensive damage to the historic chapel has not dampened their spirit. “There are people across the country and even across the world who have ties to First Baptist Dallas,” said Lovvorn. “But our message to them is First Baptist Dallas stands stronger than ever. We are more committed than ever to transforming the world with the truth of God’s word.”

Services will continue as planned, and the church community is hopeful that the remaining structure can be preserved and integrated into future rebuilding efforts.