You can see how much flammable wood was contained in the church's structure.

This classic photograph was taken in the aftermath of a horrific 1894 fire that reduced to rubble St. George’s Church in Astoria, New York, which was at the time the oldest Episcopalian church in the city. It wasn’t an act of arson, but it was still devastating to the parishioners. An excerpt from coverage of the fire in January 11, 1894 New York Times:

“St. George’s Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Astoria section of this city, was totally destroyed by fire this morning. The parish record and the silver service were saved.

St. George’s Church was the oldest of the Episcopal denomination in this city. It was a frame structure, and stood on high ground on the corner of Main and Woolsey Streets. It was surrounded by a spacious churchyard, containing the vaults and graves of members of the oldest families.

When the firemen arrived, the flames had obtained so much headway that it was impossible to save the structure. The rectory stood within fifty feet of the burning church. The rector, the Rev. Charles E. Belden, had everything ready for immediate removal if necessary, but the flames did not reach the building.

Funeral services were to have been held in the church this morning, and in order to have the edifice comfortably heated the sexton built a fire in the furnace last night. It is believed the furnace overheated and set fire to the woodwork. The destroyed church contained a number of marble tablets erected to the memory of some of the oldest members of the congregation and several former rectors.”