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No one was inside a church in Riverside early Sunday morning when a catastrophic fire broke out, officials said.

Firefighters attacked a dramatic blaze at a historical church in Riverside on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015. (Credit: Loudlabs)
Firefighters attacked a dramatic blaze at a historical church in Riverside on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015. (Credit: Loudlabs)

Thirty-eight firefighters responded about 1:08  a.m. to the Living World Christian Center, located in the 4200 block of 11th Street, where heavy smoke and flames were emitting from the roof of the the single-story building, according to a news release from the Riverside Fire Department.

After about 18 minutes of battling the three-alarm blaze, firefighters inside the historical structure reported a running fire in the attic and the possibility of structural collapse, the release said.

Shortly after the interior crew was withdrawn from the church, the roof collapsed, officials said. Two ladder trucks were then used to attack the flames from above.

The fire was extinguished within two hours. No injuries were reported.

Arson investigators from the Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called to the scene and were working to determine the cause of the incident, fire Chief Michael Moore said.

The damage to the 1920s-era building was estimated at $2,500,000.