Southwest
Emotional Dr. Robert Jeffress grateful no injuries in First Baptist Dallas church fire: ‘God has protected us’
Dr. Robert Jeffress has expressed gratitude that no one was injured in a massive fire that ripped through the First Baptist Dallas church on Friday, partially destroying the historic building’s sanctuary, which has stood since 1890.
The fire reportedly broke out in the basement of the megachurch, located in Downtown Dallas at the corner of San Jacinto and North Ervay Street, at around 6 p.m.
Video shows heavy flames tearing through the landmark building, with thick black smoke billowing high into the Dallas skyline. Things seemed to be mostly under control until the flames rekindled around 7:35 p.m., when the roof of the sanctuary partially collapsed, Fox 4 Dallas reports.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress has expressed gratitude that no one was injured in a massive fire that ripped through the First Baptist Dallas church on Friday. Jeffress is pictured with scenes from the fire in the background. (Fox 4 Dallas/KDFW)
Jeffress said that around 2,000 children had been inside the building earlier, but they had left well before the four-alarm inferno broke out. First Baptist Dallas has around 16,000 members and part of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the world’s largest Baptist organization.
“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,” Jeffress told Fox 4.
“But we thank God that nobody has been hurt. We had just concluded vacation bible school with over 2,000 kids. They were all gone, so God has protected us through all this.”
“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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Jeffress posted on X at around 9:30 p.m. that the primary fire had been extinguished.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Justin Ball told reporters that the fire likely began in the basement, where there’s a library and a museum.
Jeffress said deacons are concerned that church records inside the library could be lost.
O.S. Hawkins, former pastor of the church, called it a “tragically sad day” for the congregation on X.
First Baptist Dallas was started in 1868, but the red brick building, known as the historic sanctuary, was not built until 1890, according to the Texas Historic Commission.
Heavy smoke is seen around a section of the First Baptist Dallas church on Friday (Fox 4 Dallas/KDFW)
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 and thanked first responders for their efforts in battling the blaze before 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.”
Water being sprayed on the flames (Fox 4 Dallas/KDFW)
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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