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**Title**: Historic Sanctuary Destroyed, but No Injuries in First Baptist Dallas Church Fire

**Sapo**: The massive blaze ripped through the 1890 sanctuary, but Dr. Robert Jeffress expressed gratitude that no one was harmed, attributing it to God's protection.

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**Article**:

The iconic sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas, a beloved landmark and the heart of a vibrant congregation for over a century, was tragically destroyed in a massive fire on Friday evening, leaving a gaping void in the city's architectural and spiritual landscape.

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But amidst the devastation and loss, a beacon of hope shone through: no one was injured in the inferno that engulfed the historic structure. Dr. Robert Jeffress, the church's senior pastor, expressed his heartfelt gratitude for this miraculous outcome, attributing it to the divine protection of God.

"God has protected us," Jeffress declared, his voice filled with emotion as he stood before the charred remains of the sanctuary. "This historic sanctuary was the site of many personal events, including my own. I was baptized there when I was 6, I was ordained in ministry when I was 21. It holds a lot of memories."

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The fire, which erupted in the basement around 6 p.m., spread rapidly, sending thick black smoke billowing high into the Dallas skyline. Firefighters battled heroically to contain the blaze, but the flames rekindled around 7:35 p.m., causing the roof of the sanctuary to partially collapse.

Thankfully, around 2,000 children who had been attending vacation bible school had already left the building, narrowly escaping the inferno. Jeffress expressed his deep gratitude that his congregation was spared any loss of life.

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"We thank God that nobody has been hurt," Jeffress said. "We had just concluded vacation bible school with over 2,000 kids. They were all gone, so God has protected us through all this."

Despite the loss of the physical structure, Jeffress emphasized that the church is more than just bricks and mortar. "I'm grateful that the church is not bricks and mortar or wood; it's people. And the people of God will endure, First Baptist Dallas will endure, and we thank so many of our friends around the country who are praying for us right now."

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The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Dallas Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Justin Ball said it likely began in the basement, where there's a library and a museum. Deacons expressed concern that church records inside the library could be lost.

First Baptist Dallas was started in 1868, but the red brick building, known as the historic sanctuary, was not built until 1890. It is the only downtown Dallas Church still on its original site, and the church received a historical marker in 1968.

The church posted to Facebook late Friday, thanking first responders for their efforts and declaring that the congregation will still gather this weekend. "One way or another, we intend to meet for church this Sunday," the post reads. "More details to follow. We hope to see you there."

As the community rallies around First Baptist Dallas in the wake of this tragedy, the words of Dr. Jeffress resonate with poignant hope. "This historic sanctuary was the site of some of our most important events, but our church is not a building. It's the people, it's the faith, it's the love we share. And that will never be destroyed."