Fire shuts 2 churches, damages business in Roosevelt

A fire early Sunday at a strip mall in Roosevelt shuttered two churches, damaged other businesses and left a firefighter with minor injuries. Nobody else was badly hurt.

Services were canceled at Jesus Way Crusade and the nearby Christ Apostolic Church, which share space in the strip mall on Nassau Road with a beauty shop, a barber, a dentist's office and the C'est La Vie Lounge, all of which sustained damage.

Christ Apostolic Pastor Samson Adegbesan, said more than 30 of his parishioners were left without a Sunday service. Adegbesan said he plans to reopen the church, but does not know when.

"We have to," he said. "It's a church of God, we have to worship."

Eduardo Osorio, who owns a nearby fish market, said he reported the fire in the morning and went over to the strip mall, where flames were leaping out of the Jesus Way Crusade's roof.

"There were flames, big time," said Osorio, 39.

Officials said the fire was reported just before 8:30 a.m. and that sixteen fire departments, seventy five trucks and two hundred firemen responded. It took ninety minutes to extinguish the blaze.

In addition to the firefighter who was treated for a minor burn, three volunteer firemen suffered heat exhaustion, officials said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police ask anybody with information to call 800-244-TIPS.

With Michael Amon