(photo from Princeton Fire Department)

A historic church in Princeton was destroyed by fire Monday. The former Methodist church building at West and Emerson Streets was engulfed in flames, prompting a response from multiple fire departments.

Princeton Fire Department was dispatched at 1:58 p.m. and received mutual aid from several local agencies. Firefighters focused on exterior defensive attacks as the fire spread rapidly, using aerial trucks in frigid conditions.

Built in 1896, the building later housed The Princeton Church, aligned with the Southern Baptist Convention. The cause of the fire is under investigation.