By David Paulsen
Episcopal News Service
An afternoon fire on May 18 destroyed the home of Rochester Bishop Prince Singh, who escaped safely after reportedly discovering the flames in his garage.
Singh, who lives in the suburban town of Perinton, New York, told Spectrum News that he was working from home and participating in a Zoom meeting when he heard a sound in his garage and went to check it out. “I opened the garage door and there was fire, so then I just closed the door, ran outside, called 911,” he said. “If I had not gone to see what was going on, I don’t think I’d have been that lucky.”
Photos and video captured by people on the scene show flames towering over the two-story home’s garage before members of several local fire departments were able to extinguish the blaze. The fire’s cause is under investigation, according to a Facebook post by the volunteer fire association that responded.
“We give thanks to God that no one was injured,” the diocese said in a Facebook post about Singh’s home. “We thank you for your prayers and support and invite you to give him the space needed to work through all that’s ahead.”
Kirk Petersen began reporting news for TLC as a freelancer in 2016, and was Associate Editor from 2019 to 2024, focusing especially on matters of governance in the Episcopal Church.
