On Saturday, January 12, 2019 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Riverdale Heights and surround volunteer fire departments responded to 5804 Roanoke Avenue, in Riverdale, for the reported structure fire.
Prior to arrival, dispatch advised the 911 caller reported smoke coming from the roof of the structure.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find a 1-story building that was being used as a church and found a working fire inside. It took approximately 30 minutes to extinguish the fire.
Shortly after an investigation commenced a deceased male was found inside. The Prince George’s County Police Department Homicide joined Fire Investigators as a matter of standard operating procedure whenever a fatality is involved at the scene of a fire. ATF Agents also joined in the investigation being as a church was involved. The joint investigation will continue until an autopsy determines the cause of death and a cause of the fire has been determined.
The Celestial Church of Christ is located at 5804 Roanoke Avenue in Riverdale, The fire loss is estimated at $100,000. There were no other firefighter or civilian injuries reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and updates will be provided when they become available
All photos are courtesy of Mark Brady, PGFD PIO.
