An early morning fire destroyed St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, but firefighters were able to contain the blaze from spreading to the church’s school. On 17 Feb 2024 at 1:10 am Baton Rouge and St George firefighters responded to the fire at 8833 Goodwood Boulevard. The Baton Rouge fire department reports that its firefighters were inside the sanctuary when the roof collapsed over the narthex, forcing the firefighters out the side entrances.
The Baton Rouge Fire Department said 19 firefighting trucks were at the scene, including pumpers, ladders and support trucks. “Crews entered the building, to find fire in the attic and a middle room,” the department said in a statement. “As they attacked those fires, part of the structure came down behind them, blocking the door they had entered. They were able to find another door and exited the building unharmed.”
However, no one was injured in the blaze, which was contained at 3:15 am.
On Saturday morning, the Rt. Rev. Shannon Duckworth, Bishop of Louisiana wrote on Facebook: “As many of you may have heard, St. Luke’s Baton Rouge suffered extensive fire damage in the middle of the night. I was on site with Fr. Bryan, Mother Trish, and the leadership from the church and school. More information will be shared later. For now, please keep this congregation in your prayers as they grieve this terrible loss.”
Later that day she released a pastoral statement to the diocese which read: “In the midst of this tremendous loss, we also remember that we are a people of hope. And as I reminded the leadership gathered early this morning, the church still stands. They are the church. We are the church.”
