A fire ravaged a New Dorp pregnancy crisis center, early Thursday morning, closing it until further notice and leaving two people homeless.
On Thursday, Pastor Mark Rawnsley surveyed the damage at 38 10th Ave near New Dorp Lane after a fire ripped through Crisis Pregnancy Center.
The Crisis Pregnancy Center is a nonprofit run by New Dorp Baptist Church, where Rawnsley is the pastor, and it provides counseling services to new mothers in need.
While the center was closed at the time of the fire, a couple was in an upstairs apartment but managed to escape.
“He smelled the smoke, the detectors went off so he was able to grab his wife to get out of the house quite easily,” said Rawnsley.
More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze that gutted the inside of the building.
Officials have now determined the fire was accidental and say it was caused by a faulty boiler.
Now, the center has been forced to temporarily close their offices until further notice.
“We do a lot of good work for women who are in crisis pregnancy don't have much we can help them with spiritual needs, counseling,” said James Stoffers, one of the Board of Directors at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
The Center lost more than just a place to operate because of the fire.
“We're upset about the loss of a number of clothing and other items that we use for Crisis pregnancies but we've already received an outpouring of love and care and concern.” Mark Rawnsley, Senior pastor New Dorp Baptist Church.
While some of the baby clothes and toys were salvageable, the center is still accepting donations of new items to replace those that were damaged.