Incoming mayor weighs in on Seventh Day Adventist Church fire: ‘That was a historic landmark’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Rochester’s incoming mayor is hoping for the community to come together after a historic church went up in flames on Christmas Day.

Mayor-elect Malik Evans called the fire at the Seventh Day Adventist Church "devastating."

No one was inside of the church when the fire started Saturday night.

The church was destroyed.

Evans is looking into what he and his team can do to help.

"That was a historic landmark, Evans said. "That was a building that had been there for a very long time it is rooted in our community that church is part of the community’s fabric, so we want to see from the city’s perspective what we can do to help support them in their rebuilding efforts or whatever it is they decide they want to be able to do."

The church building on Jefferson Avenue dated back to 1870.

Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause.