Fire at Episcopal Church of the Messiah caused by electrical problem at Central Islip structure, diocese says

The fire that destroyed a century-old Episcopal church in Central Islip started because of an unspecified electrical problem in the basement, Long Island diocese Bishop Lawrence Provenzano said Wednesday.

In an interview about the fire that ignited early Sunday at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, Provenzano said the diocese will support restoration or replacement of the church. Insurance will cover replacement costs, he added, but it could be “a couple years” before the congregation is back in its home.

He said that "fire investigators confirmed an electrical fire that originated in the basement" but "that's all they could determine."

A Suffolk Police spokeswoman, citing the Arson Squad, also confirmed the cause of the fire, and that it appeared "to be noncriminal in nature.”

The fire started shortly after 2 a.m., Central Islip Fire Department Chief Michael Zaleski said Sunday.

Firefighters arrived to find the blaze burning from the basement of the church up to the ceiling on the main floor.

In total, firefighters from seven departments worked for more than two hours to put out the fire, which left the interior “totaled," Zaleski said.

Officials with the Central Islip Fire Department were not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

Church leaders said it remained unclear whether the building can be saved.

In the meantime, the congregation may worship in the parish hall or outside during the summer, visiting nearby churches for funerals and weddings, Provenzano said.

“People have been calling in from all over” with offers of help, he said. “Right now all they need is a lot of prayer and support.” 

The fire destroyed 10 of the church’s stained glass windows, sparing three, including a large window over the church entrance, said Sandra Townsend, a lay leader and third-generation member of the congregation. Most pieces of that window, which depict a dove, are intact; only the wings were damaged.

The fire also destroyed handmade linens that adorned the altar, which itself caught fire. Some precious objects were salvaged, like the two-inch thick church register, locked in a filing cabinet in the basement, and bearing congregation members' names dating back to the 1800s.

Worship in the parish hall, normally used for meetings by community groups and for the church’s food pantry, is less than ideal, she said. Townsend and other congregation members hope eventually to resume worshipping in the church, she said.

“If we could do a gut rehab and bring it up to code, we could bring it back to life.” About 30 to 40 worshippers regularly attend Sunday services, some traveling from as far as Mastic or Manorville.

In 1991, Church of the Messiah was among the first to open its doors to undocumented Salvadorans in a push to win legal status under a federal law passed the year before. 

In 2018, the congregation faced tragedy after a beloved priest, Paul Wancura, died after injuries during a burglary at his home.