Courtesy Photos
The Fremont Fire Department responded to a car fire Sunday morning. Authorities said the vehicle struck the west entrance of the Fremont Presbyterian Church.
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The Fremont Police Department and Fremont Fire Department responded to a vehicle/building, personal-injury accident that occurred at about 1 a.m. Sunday at the Fremont Presbyterian Church.
Blake Wagner, the lieutenant on the B Shift for FFD, said crews were dispatched at about 1:15 a.m. Prior to fire personnel’s arrival, FPD had Jose G. Rodriguez, 19, of Fremont out of the vehicle.
“After they had him extricated out of the car and secured away from it, the car started on fire,” he said. “It looks like the car – at a good rate of speed – didn’t make the turn and ran into the corner of the west entrance of the church.”
Wagner described the damage that the accident caused to the building.
“Damaged a wall and broke some of the plate glass in the entryway,” the lieutenant said. “There was smoke and everything throughout the building causing structural damage to it and then smoke damage throughout the building due to the car fire.”
FPD said Rodriguez was transported to the hospital. His condition is not known at this time.
Wagner said firefighters were successfully able to contain the damage to the church.
“There was no fire extension into the Presbyterian Church at all,” he said. “We were able to get that knocked down before that caused more of an issue. There is still some smoke and water damage from a broken sprinkler head and then the smoke kind of going throughout the building.”
Wagner said firefighters were on the scene for about 2 ½ hours. No mutual aid was needed.
The estimated cost of the damages is unknown at this time. FPD said the investigation is continuing.
