A Landmark With A Long Past
St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Buffalo, New York, was built in 1886 and stood for generations as a major Catholic landmark on Broadway. The church permanently closed in August 2024 after years of decline and uncertainty over its future. It was later sold for $250,000 to an Islamic community, with reports and social media posts saying the site was being eyed for conversion into a mosque. That kind of change can stir strong public feelings, especially when an old church building is involved, but the facts on the fire investigation are separate from the debate over the property’s next use.
Fire Crews Return Within Days
Buffalo firefighters were called back to the former church around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday after reports of another fire inside the building. According to local reporting, fire crews found the fire and put it out before it spread through most of the structure. Officials had not released the exact location of the fire inside the building or the full extent of the damage. The Tuesday response came only days after firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at the same site last Friday, adding to the strain on a building that was already in poor condition.
Arson Ruling Raises Public Safety Questions
On Wednesday, investigators determined the Tuesday fire was arson, according to a Buffalo Fire Department spokesperson cited by WGRZ. That makes the latest blaze more than just another case of an empty building catching trouble. It raises serious questions about site security, code enforcement, and how the city protects vacant historic properties before they become repeated emergency calls. The former St. Ann’s Roman Catholic School next door was also hit by a four-alarm fire in January that destroyed much of its interior while leaving the exterior standing. For nearby residents and firefighters, this is no longer just a preservation story. It is a public safety problem with a very old building at the center of it.
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