A large fire has destroyed a church and forced the evacuation of scores of residents from a nursing home in Sydney's south overnight, firefighters say.
Fire investigators were to examine the ruins of the Macedonian Orthodox Church of the Resurrection in Rockdale early on Monday morning to determine the cause of the blaze, which broke out about 9.45pm on Sunday.
Superintendent Adam Dewberry, from Fire and Rescue NSW, said about 60 firefighters battled the blaze at the church on Frederick Street for several hours, before bringing it under control.
Large flames could be seen shooting from the roof of the church, which earlier on Sunday had hosted services for Orthodox Easter.
Churchgoers watched from the street as their place of worship went up in flames. "[It's] Orthodox Easter at the moment, and who knows, maybe candles left? Never know," one church member said.
