Firefighters save historic ‘Godfather’ church from raging NYC warehouse blaze
A four-alarm fire tore through a vacant warehouse near Mount Loretto in Staten Island on Saturday, but firefighters stopped it reaching the historic Old Church of St Joachim and St Anne. The church, which appeared in exterior shots of the baptism scene in “The Godfather”, was among nearby buildings at risk as the blaze spread.
More than 200 firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded after the fire began at about 5.45pm. The warehouse roof collapsed and the building sustained heavy damage; crews brought the fire under control at about 8.30pm despite strong winds and flying embers. One firefighter suffered a minor burn, and the cause is under investigation.
- Firefighters contained a four-alarm warehouse blaze near Mount Loretto.
- The historic “Godfather” church and nearby buildings were spared.
- One firefighter had a minor burn; the cause is being investigated.