LDS Church – Major Fire Destroys LDS Church Building in Australia: A Community’s Shock

LDS Church – Heartbreaking Blaze: 2nd LDS Church Fire Shocks Australia

In a devastating incident for the local community, a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hebersham, Australia, was completely destroyed by a massive fire in the early hours of Monday, October 6, 2025.

The alarming call came in around 3 a.m. local time, bringing Fire and Rescue NSW crews rushing to the scene in west Sydney. According to reports from 9 News Australia, firefighters battled the intense blaze, with Inspector Steve Perkins confirming that their efforts successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the chapel portion of the building. Despite their brave work, photos from the scene reveal severe and extensive damage to a large section of the structure.

A significant relief to the community and church members is that no one was inside the building at the time of the fire. There have been no reports of any injuries.

In an official statement released after the fire was extinguished, the Church expressed its sorrow:

“We are saddened to confirm that an overnight fire has caused significant damage to the Hebersham meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints. While there has been extensive damage to the building, there have been no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is unclear and the Church is working with authorities as they investigate.”

This tragic event occurred while the global faith community was tuned in for the Church’s semiannual general conference, a gathering where leaders address members worldwide from Salt Lake City.

Disturbingly, this is the second major fire to target an LDS meetinghouse in just over a week. On September 28, a gunman attacked a church in Michigan, killing four people and setting that building on fire before being killed by police. While authorities have not stated if arson is suspected in the Australian fire, the proximity of these two destructive events has sent a wave of concern through the global Latter-day Saint community.

The cause of the Hebersham fire remains under official investigation as authorities work to determine the origin of this destructive blaze.