Fire destroys baroque town church in eastern Germany

Dresden, Aug. 4, (dpa/GNA) - A baroque town church in eastern Germany has been largely destroyed by fire. 

The blaze in the Protestant church in Großröhrsdorf, Saxony, was first reported by residents around 2 am (0000 GMT) on Friday, according to a police spokeswoman. The church and the bell tower both burned through the night. 

It was not until the morning that the fire was almost completely extinguished, according to the spokeswoman. No injuries were reported. 

The Großröhrsdorf church was built in typical baroque style and was consecrated in 1736, according to the town’s website. The church tower measures almost 50 metres. 

Großröhrsdorf is located about 20 kilometres north-east of Dresden. 

The fire destroyed large parts of the church, although the foundation and parts of the walls remained standing. 

According to a police statement, emergency forces were in the process of securing valuables from the church and neighbouring buildings. 

The cause of the fire was initially unclear. An investigation will be launched to determine what happened, according to police. 

GNA