Fire Breaks Out at United Methodist Church Wednesday Morning

At 1:51 a.m. on July 4, police were dispatched to Spring Hill Elementary School -- attached to United Methodist Church at 250 California Street -- for a structure fire. No injuries were reported.

The fire was reported to start in playground equipment and a storage shed extending to the main building, according to Santa Cruz Fire Department Chief Jeff Trapp. 

The fire department received several calls after a trail of smoke could be seen trailing from the downtown area, said Trapp. The first arriving crews saw a large trail of fire and smoke from the rear of the building, surrounded by locked gates.

Crews broke open the gates and entered the building, and extinguished the fire in a classroom and common attic, which encompassed the entire length of the building.

The fire was brought under control in 45 minutes, and crews stayed on the scene for three hours afterward, according to Trapp. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

There were a total of 17 firefighters, and an estimated $400,000 in damage. Approximately $3 million was saved, however.

This article will be updated when more information becomes available.