Eagan's Grace Slavic Church fire leaves community heartbroken

Community mourns church lost to fire before Christmas

Right before Christmas time, a church in Eagan was lost to a fire that investigators believe was started by Christmas lights. FOX 9's Leon Purvis reports as the community deals with the devastating loss.  

EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - Grace Slavic Church in Eagan suffered severe damage after a fire broke out, with investigators pointing to Christmas lights as the cause.

Fire damages church

What we know:

The fire started just after 4 p.m. on Friday, with flames and smoke visible from the roof. Two people inside the church at the time managed to escape safely, and no injuries were reported.

The sanctuary, previously a place of worship and community, is now filled with charred remains and rubble. However, the cross at the front of the room remains standing.

There is now a hole in the roof, burned gutters, and boarded up windows.

Christmas lights may have ignited Eagan church fire

People are picking up the pieces after a church fire in Eagan, which investigators say may have been started by Christmas lights. FOX 9's Leon Purvis reports.

Community response

What they're saying:

"It's extremely hard because this church was not just a building, to be honest. It was where we worship. It's where we build community," said Diana Afanasyev, the deacon's wife. She also mentioned that another church had offered them space to gather for Christmas.

Grace Slavic Church has been a significant part of the community, serving as a drop-off site for Operation Christmas Child for 15 years and welcoming many Ukrainian immigrants. All of this is devastating for grace Slavic church members, who are primarily Russian—Ukrainian and grew up worshiping and attending events at the church.

A GoFundMe to help aid in the recovery and rebuilding of the church has raised $3,700 as of Saturday evening. 

What we don't know:

The full extent of the damage and the timeline for rebuilding efforts have not been disclosed.