Firefighters spent several hours putting out a stubborn fire at the Stony Plain Alliance Church Family Centre Sunday afternoon.
The blaze was called in around 2:30 p.m. by an RCMP officer.
“It’s really stubborn as the fire has spread between the floors,” Deputy Fire Chief Bert Lubbers said. “It has now become a defensive fight. It’s fortunate no one was in the building at the time.”
Firefighters declared the blaze under control by the supper hour but were still fighting the fire well into the evening.
Parishioners tell Global News the fire is contained to a family centre which is separated from the church itself by a parking lot.
Neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution.
Fire crews brought in heavy equipment to dismantle walls within the structure in order to put out hot spots inside.
No one was injured and there is still no word on what caused the blaze.
“It’s too early to say how the fire was started, but at this point is safe to say the building has been destroyed,” Lubbers said. “We will continue to battle the blaze to try and salvage the offices.”
As many as 50 firefighters from the Stony Plain detachment along with the City of Spruce Grove and Parkland County battled the flames.
The building housed a library, nursery, youth group as well as the church offices.
The Church is located near 49 street and 53 Avenue. Motorists are being asked to avoid the area.
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