View an updated story on the fire here.
UPDATE: 7:30 a.m. STREET CLOSURES – Salem police list street closures in the blocks around the fire scene.
Salem fire crews are working to extinguish a fire that broke out at St. Joseph Parish early Thursday, Aug. 31.
The four-alarm fire is in the sanctuary building at 721 Chemeketa St. N.E., according to reports. The fire was reported at 2:31 a.m.
Fourteen engines and two ladder trucks are among the equipment assigned to the fire.
No injuries were reported, according to Salem officials. The fire was reported under control by about 7 a.m.
Several streets around the church will be closed as firefighters remain on the scene, according to the Salem Police Department. This includes:
Cottage and Center Streets south to Court Street
Winter and Center Streets south to Court Street
Chemeketa and Church Streets east to Winter Street
“The fire continues inside the church but is contained to the church. A great blessing is that as far as we know no one was hurt,” the church posted on its Facebook page early Thursday.
The sanctuary building was dedicated in 1953.
VIDEO: St. Joseph Parish fire (Salem Fire Department video)
This is a developing story.
HELP US REPORT: Please send your photos and information to Editor Les Zaitz: [email protected]
Les Zaitz is editor and CEO of Salem Reporter. He co-founded the news organization in 2018. He has been a journalist in Oregon for nearly 50 years in both daily and community newspapers and digital news services. He is nationally recognized for his commitment to local journalism. He also is editor and publisher of the Malheur Enterprise in Vale, Oregon.
