WILKINSBURG, Pa. -- Crews were called to a four-alarm church fire in Wilkinsburg that poured out so much smoke that people reported seeing it from Monroeville.

The fire was reported around 10:30 a.m. Saturday when a member of the church called 911.

“One of the members drove by, saw smoke coming out of the building and called the fire department. When they got there, it appeared the fire had engulfed in the kitchen in the fellowship area,” said David Howell, a church elder at the church.

Allegheny County 911 identified the church as the Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church in the 1600 block of Graham Boulevard.

City of Pittsburgh firefighters were also called to the scene to assist the Wilkinsburg Fire Department, who said there wasn’t a lot they could do.

“We did find heavy fire conditions. We pulled our personnel out and went into defensive operations,” said Capt. James Reagan, of the Wilkinsburg Fire Department.

Reagan said it appears that the fire started in the basement kitchen of the fellowship hall next door, then spread to the church, causing extensive damage in both buildings

Church officials said the near-destruction of their church is a hard thing to grasp.

“Some of [the parishioners] are doing fine, a couple of them are crying. Some of them have grown up in this church, been here all their lives. So, it makes it very difficult,” said Jack Wilson, the church’s pastor.

Church and fire officials said they were thankful there were no reports of injuries.

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