St Andrew’s Jarrom Street, a 160‑year‑old church between De Montfort University and Leicester Royal Infirmary, has suffered significant fire damage after a blaze on Tuesday night.
Fire response and immediate impact
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) brought more than 40 firefighters to the scene and were able to get the flames under control. The service believes the fire started on the ground floor and spread to the roof. The building has been secured and investigators report no signs of forced entry. No injuries have been reported.
Services resumed on Saturday but have been relocated to the parish hall or held outdoors while the main building is assessed. A temporary fire recovery fund has been established as the church evaluates the full extent of the damage to the fabric and roof.
Community response and disruption
The church issued a statement praising the “bravery” of firefighters for their swift response, and for rescuing a coffin belonging to long‑standing churchwarden Tony Simons. His funeral had been due to take place the day after the fire; Mr Simons had been part of the worshipping community for 72 years.
“As the late Tony Simons often said, ‘Keep the faith. Save the parish.’ We are greatly blessed that our church building has been home to a large, growing and diverse congregation…”
Revd Canon Dr Johannes Arens, the parish priest, said the community is in shock but drawing on a resilient spirit as it plans to rebuild. He spoke of gratitude for offers of help, prayers and donations already coming forward.
- Age of building: circa 1860s
- Fire response: 40+ firefighters
- Location: between De Montfort University and Leicester Royal Infirmary
- Casualties: none reported
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Estimated age | About 160 years |
| Incident time | Calls received from 11:17pm on Tuesday |
| Current status | Building secured; services moved to parish hall/outdoors |
Wider role of the church
St Andrew’s is described in its parish newsletter as “much more than a building”. The Anglo‑Catholic church, part of the Church of England, is used by a diverse congregation, supports musical training — including organ scholars — and hosts cultural and community events. That role underlines why the damage is felt beyond the regular worshipping community and why a recovery fund has been launched rapidly.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s early assessment points to an accidental origin of the blaze. While the full investigations and repair costs are yet to be determined, the church leadership has said it will rebuild and is beginning the work of restoring both the fabric and the activities that the building supports.
For those wishing to support the congregation, the church has invited donations to the recovery fund; details are being shared by the parish. In the short term, worship and some community events will continue in the parish hall and in outdoor spaces as the congregation adapts to the disruption.
Local residents reported seeing plumes of smoke across parts of the city on the night of the fire as emergency services responded. The Diocese of Leicester said it was deeply saddened by the incident.
This remains a developing local story as assessments continue and plans for repair and fundraising are confirmed.
