MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Two Memphis firefighters were taken to the hospital Tuesday morning after battling a large fire at a vacant school building in Midtown.
FOX13 cameras were rolling as flames and thick smoke tore through the structure, sending billowing smoke high into the sky. The intense fire left behind charred walls, broken windows, and widespread damage.
The building, once home to the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering before the school moved across the street, is now owned by Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. Church leaders said the former school was slated for demolition as part of a planned campus expansion.
Both firefighters were transported to Regional One Health’s burn unit, according to Memphis Fire officials. One firefighter suffered minor burns and is expected to recover. FOX13 is still working to confirm the condition of the second firefighter.
Senior Pastor J. Lawrence Turner said the church was notified early Tuesday that the building was on fire. “We were notified that one of these buildings was on fire and that our fire department was on site, trying to extinguish it,” Turner said.
Turner said no one was inside the building when the fire started, something he called a relief as investigators continue to search for answers. “Our fire department is still conducting an investigation, but to our knowledge, there wasn’t,” Turner said. “And so we thank God for that.”
Neighbors living in nearby apartment buildings said the fire escalated quickly.
“We just started seeing smoke come out of the building,” said Perry Baldwin, a property manager at Bryton Tower. “All of a sudden, it just erupted.”
Turner said the fire also highlights broader safety concerns across Memphis, especially during colder months.
“There have been several fires that have happened throughout this year, and so you’re concerned about the safety of people,” Turner said. “It also brings to mind a concern for our unhoused community. When temperatures dip, where can they find shelter?”
Fire investigators have not yet determined what caused the blaze. Church leaders said they are now assessing the damage and plan to rebuild in the future.
