An early Sunday fire tore through a southeast Oklahoma City church, ending with a woman in custody on a complaint of first-degree arson, officials said. Fire crews were dispatched to the 200 block of S.E. 45th Street and reported seeing a large plume of smoke as they approached. When they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming from the basement and upper floors. The blaze caused an estimated $8,000 in damage, and no injuries were reported.
Officials: Crews Found Heavy Smoke On Arrival
Officials with the Oklahoma City Fire Department, according to KOKH, said the call came in as a possible church fire at New Dimensions Ministries on Sunday morning. As they headed to the scene, firefighters saw a large plume of smoke rising from the area. On arrival they discovered smoke coming from both the basement and the upper floors and moved quickly into suppression and overhaul operations. The department estimated roughly $8,000 in damage and said one woman was arrested on a complaint of first-degree arson.
Not The First Southeast-Side Church Blaze This Year
The arrest comes against a backdrop of earlier reports of church fires and vandalism on the southeast side of the city. As reported in a February incident, investigators previously examined a case in which a teen was eyed in a string of arsons and graffiti affecting a neighborhood congregation. Authorities have not said whether those earlier cases are connected to the fire at New Dimensions Ministries.
What First-Degree Arson Means Under State Law
First-degree arson is codified at 21 O.S. § 1401 and applies to willfully setting fire to or otherwise destroying an occupied building, and the statute classifies the offense as a felony. Prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges after investigators complete the fire examination and evidence review. For the statutory text and broader legal context, see the Oklahoma statutes.
Investigation Remains Active
Oklahoma City fire investigators and police say the probe into what sparked the blaze and the circumstances surrounding the woman’s arrest remains active. Officials told KOKH they plan to release additional details as the investigation progresses. Anyone with information has been asked to contact investigators through official channels.
