St. John The Divine Fire Caused Millions In Damage, Report Says

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — A crypt fire that evacuated The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Palm Sunday caused millions of dollars in damage that the cathedral is still working to clean up, according to new reports.

Months after the blaze, the inside of the Morningside Heights cathedral resembles a work site, the New York Times reported. Tradesmen scour the cathedral's stone walls with heavy-duty sponges and vacuum the place of worship's giant stained-glass windows in an effort to have the building clean for the upcoming holiday season, according to the report.

The small blaze, which injured nobody, caused extensive damage because smoke passed through the cathedral's ventilation system into the main interior, the Times reported. Restoring the organ alone will cost $10 million, according to the report.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine had to be evacuated during Palm Sunday services when the April 14 fire broke out in an underground crypt. Firefighters were able to place the blaze under control in an hour.

St. John the Divine remains open to the public, but admissions fees have been slashed due to the ongoing work.

Read the full NY Times report here.