CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Fire Department said Thursday’s fire at Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal M.I. on E. 36th Street has been ruled out as arson. The fire department said the fire caused $100,000 in damage.
The church, with its red brick and steeple, has always stood out among its residential neighbors.
Pastor Ariel Santiago has led the congregation, with deep roots in the city’s Hispanic community, for many years.
The sacred space dates back to the late 1800s.
“I didn’t cry until I went to my daughters house and they put the program on again,” Santiago said. “Then I was crying a lot and a lot of headache comes.”
Santiago said he was doing handyman work on the church’s rental home in the back when people next door alerted him of flames and smoke inside the church.
He said he rushed inside, hoping to put it out, but couldn’t.
“I didn’t have any opportunity because it was too fast,” Santiago said.
The inferno has left behind a shell of the church that Santiago said was updated with new carpet, chairs, and musical instruments in recent months.
“What’s your message to your members and to your community as you go through this difficult time,” News 5 Anchor Damon Maloney asked.
"I can say right now be with me, be with the church and all of the community be with us,” Santiago said. “Because we are for them… not only for our church. We are for them."
Friday, firefighters and the ATF were on the scene.
James Bitterman once lived in the neighborhood and wanted to see the church again after seeing the fire on the news.
“It’s horribly sad to see this happen,” Bitterman said. “It’s always been an active church in the community. Always.”
Bitterman said that the church's history of transitioning to different nationalities and denominations makes it unique beyond the architecture. He remembers going inside as a kid.
"Live music all the time…it was loud enough (to where) you could hear it four or five houses away,” Bitterman said. “And we would go in and the people were always so friendly. At that point it was a Latin congregation."
Santiago said church leaders will decide how to move forward.
“God have the answer (of) where we’re going to be,” Santiago said.
