Elm Park Baptist Church fire: Roof partly destroyed

The London Fire Brigade was called at 2.07am this morning (June 27) to Elm Park Baptist Church on the corner of Ambleside Avenue and Rosewood Avenue, with reports of a fire.

Fire crews from Hornchurch and Dagenham fire stations were dispatched to the scene, where a fire had destroyed a section of the flat roof of the building and some external fascia. 

It took firefighters just more than an hour to extinguish. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. 

The church has been in the community since 1937 (Image: Robin Hinton) Elm Park Baptist Church took to Facebook today to break the news. 

They wrote: "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but we have had a fire at church in the night.

"(The) Front of building is damaged so that area is out of bounds toilet/kitchen.

"We are still able to use the main church with electric from vestry. Church will go ahead not quite as usual but as normal as can be."

A JustGiving page has been set up to help support restoration of the damaged area, and has already exceeded its £250 goal. 

A spokesperson for the church told this paper: "We are praying that we will be back to normal shortly.

"In the meanwhile, we will make use of the halls and temporarily pause any activities that require use of the foyer.

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"The support and blessings from the community is greatly appreciated. We will return stronger than ever."

The church, which has operated in the community since 1937, still intends to conduct its Sunday services as usual. 

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are not involved in investigating the fire.