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Cause of fire at historic First Baptist Dallas sanctuary to remain undetermined

First Baptist Dallas is continuing to clear debris after the fire in July.

The cause of the July fire that destroyed the historic First Baptist Dallas sanctuary will remain undetermined, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson said Saturday.

Jason Evans, a spokesperson with Dallas Fire-Rescue, said via email Saturday that the results of the investigation may change if new information is discovered.

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“Based upon the totality of the investigation, the cause of fire which took place at the First Baptist Dallas Church will remain undetermined at this time due to the inability to definitively determine any competent ignition sources or sequence,” Evans said. “However we reserve the right to change or supplement this finding based on any new or additional information subsequently acquired.”

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Last week, Executive Pastor Ben Lovvorn said in a video that more work was needed to move forward in the investigation, which he hoped would conclude soon. After the investigation, Lovvorn said the church would be able to begin the demolition process and clean out the interior of the sanctuary.

Drone footage shows charred remains of First Baptist Dallas church
A drone captured the remains of First Baptist Dallas church downtown Saturday after a fire broke out early Friday evening. (Brandon Wade / Special Contributor)
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The church has been in the process of saving what it can from the historic red brick sanctuary, which was destroyed by a four-alarm blaze on July 19.

Church leaders said in August that crews were making progress with clearing debris at the site and were returning to their normal schedule.

The damage to the sanctuary was so extensive that teams had not been allowed to search for what items may remain, with archives and a library located in the basement.

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The chapel served as the church’s primary place of worship for more than a century until First Baptist Dallas opened a new facility in 2013.

First Baptist started in 1868 with just three men and eight women, according to a story by The Dallas Morning News on the church’s 150th anniversary. The church now has about 16,000 members.

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