A long-vacant church in the Greater Ville neighborhood of north St. Louis went up in flames again on Sunday, sending a thick column of dark smoke over the block and drawing a heavy fire response. Neighbors said the hulking, boarded-up building has sat empty for years and was burning through the roof as crews worked to knock down the fire, renewing worries about repeat blazes in vacant properties across the city.
According to FOX 2, the St. Louis Fire Department reported flames visible through the roof of the building on North Newstead Avenue in the Greater Ville and dispatched multiple companies to the scene. FOX 2 also noted the structure had already seen a separate recent fire, and officials have not released information about the cause of either incident. Crews stayed on site while investigators examined the property.
Old Sanctuary, New Headache
The structure, listed at 3520 N. Newstead Ave and formerly home to Afrikan Village Church, appears in city maps and local listings, according to MapQuest. Vacant churches have been at the center of several major fires in recent years. A January 2025 multi-alarm blaze destroyed a 164-year-old church in Hyde Park, as detailed by FireRescue1, and a large fire broke out at the former St. Augustine church in 2024, according to First Alert 4. Taken together, those episodes highlight how quickly vacant, boarded buildings can turn into serious hazards once they ignite.
Vacancy, Displacement and Risk
Vacant buildings have also been used as shelter by people displaced after last year’s tornado, which adds another layer of public-safety concern. St. Louis Public Radio reported in February that tornado-impacted residents have been living in unrepaired homes and in vacant structures in neighborhoods that include the Greater Ville. Neighbors told reporters they want the city to move more quickly to secure or remove blighted properties that repeatedly catch fire, and officials typically send investigators and code-enforcement teams after major blazes…