Firefighters battle fire at historic Tremont Church

A historic Russian Orthodox cathedral caught fire Tuesday. Parishioners and priests tried to salvage what they could, but the sanctuary was seriously damaged.

As firefighters rushed to St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Starkweather, Kelly Taylor couldn't believe her eyes.

“I was baptized in this church,” Taylor added. “I really can't believe this is happening. It's surreal. It's such an event that I can't believe this is happening.”

The cathedral is over 110 years old and was built between 1911 and 1912 for Russian immigrants living in Tremont. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is widely known for its iconic copper roof, which Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony Luke said made fighting the fire so difficult Tuesday.

“In this building, because most of the roof is covered in copper, the fire is burning underneath the copper, so we have to remove the copper to get to the fire,” said Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony Luke.

Luke adds that construction crews were at the church working on the copper roof Tuesday when problems arose.

“There was a partial collapse of the ceiling, so they got everyone out,” Luke added.

Choir director Kenneth Kovoach is also in disbelief at the damage. He said the church was undergoing extensive roof restoration.

“We are now looking at a fairly expensive and extensive restoration process,” Kovoch said.

This building is not only special to Clevelanders but also to movie buffs. The cathedral first appeared on the big screen in the 1978 film “Deer Hunter.”

“It was Deer Hunter Church,” Kovoch added. “That’s where Robert De Niro and everyone came.”

The faithful gathered Tuesday evening to pray as they process their loss.

“Everything can be replaced but what a shock, what a tragedy for Cleveland,” Kovoch said.

Chief Luke said he was proud of the work his crews did because the building could have been a total loss if they hadn't installed ladders up to the copper roof. No injuries were reported and the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.