Fire destroys 17th-century church at Sanok folk museum

A devastating fire tore through the Museum of Folk Architecture in Sanok, Poland, overnight, completely destroying a 17th-century wooden church and its historical contents. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas and dating back to 1667, was a significant cultural loss for the region and the country.

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For us, this is an irreplaceable loss.

Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, with 27 units and nearly 140 personnel responding to the emergency. Upon arrival, the church was already engulfed in flames, and the fire threatened two adjacent buildings: the "Chałupa from Niebocko" and a barn. While the church and its interior were lost, firefighters managed to save other nearby structures.

Museum Director Marcin Krowiak described the destruction as an "irreplaceable loss," calling the church "one of the oldest churches not only in Podkarpacie but also in Poland." He expressed gratitude to the emergency services and museum staff for their efforts in minimizing the damage. The museum has been closed indefinitely following the incident.

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One of the oldest churches not only in Podkarpacie but also in Poland, our pearl was completely destroyed tonight.

Police have secured the scene and will conduct an investigation with a fire expert on Sunday to determine the cause of the fire. The museum hopes to reopen to visitors as soon as possible after the investigation concludes.

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After the arrival of the first units, the entire building of the wooden church of St. Nicholas was already engulfed in fire, and buildings located in close proximity were threatened.