Landmark Santa Ana church deemed ‘complete loss’ after fire; cause under investigation

Fire officials said the historic 109-year-old Santa Ana church that was ravaged by a fire on Thursday is a complete loss.

In the wee hours of the morning, firefighters were called to the vacant former site of the United Presbyterian Church on East Santa Ana Boulevard and Bush Street.

There they found massive flames and smoke shooting out from the roof. It took about 100 firefighters two hours to get the blaze under control, the Orange County Fire Authority said.

The building had been assessed at a value of $2.2 million, fire officials said. Investigators are still working to determine what started the blaze.

Though the front walls remained standing, the inside was charred. No one was injured, authorities said.

The white structure was built in 1911 and was listed on city, state and federal registers of historic properties.

At one point, it was home to the Orange County Pacific Symphony and the Templo Calvario church.

In recent history, the classical-revival style building stood boarded up. Police have said there were times when transients broke into it and occupied it.

City officials said there had been no development plans submitted for the property.