BREAKING NEWS

Phoenix church collapses after possible gas explosion

Nathan J. Fish
The Republic | azcentral.com
Phoenix Firefighters were at the scene of a church that collapsed after a possible gas explosion.

Phoenix firefighters were searching through the rubble of a church that collapsed Wednesday night after a possible gas explosion.

Residents were evacuated in an area north and west of the small neighborhood church, near 13th Avenue and Tonto Street, which is about a block north of Buckeye Road, the Phoenix Fire Department said.

The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m., and was reported as a natural gas explosion at Faith Believing in God Ministries church.

The building was partially collapsed when firefighters arrived, but there was no fire in the structure. Firefighters were trying to determine whether there was an explosion caused by a gas leak or whether the leak was triggered by the building collapse, fire officials said.

Officials said parts of the building that still stood were unstable. Search dogs were called in to determine if anyone was under the rubble. After an hour, firefighters concluded there was nobody in the building when it fell.

Several church leaders arrived at the scene but did not want to be interviewed. However, a fire department spokesman said the church leaders told officials they don't think anyone would have been inside when it collapsed.

Manuel Casada, who lives across from the church, said he heard an explosion that shook his house so hard it pushed open his front door.

"The first thing I though was that someone put a bomb in that church. Then the police arrived and told me I needed to leave because there was gas and I left," he said.

He and other nearby residents were able to return to their homes around 8:30 p.m. as firefighters continued searching the site.

Check back with azcentral.com for updates.

Residents were evacuated in an area north and west of the small neighborhood church, near 13th Avenue and Tonto Street, which collapsed Wednesday night after a possible gas explosion.

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