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No injuries after Chabad headquarters catches fire in Casselberry, police say

5 Torahs damaged

CASSELBERRY, Fla. – Seminole County firefighters and Casselberry police responded to a fire at the Chabad of Greater Orlando headquarters on Sunday.

The Seminole County Fire Department responded around 11:13 a.m. to the scene along Howell Branch Road. The fire impacted the Congregation Ahavas Yisrael building, where a caller had reported smoke and fire coming from the roof, according to the Casselberry Police Department.

No one was inside the building when the fire started and the adjacent Hebrew School was evacuated, police said, adding security on the premises advised no one had been seen coming or going from the property other than those authorized to be there.

It was unknown at the time of this report how the fire began, according to the police department.

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News 6 heard from the son of Rabbi Dubov, who told us that five Torahs were damaged — as well as that it was not known if they can be refurbished — yet a Torah set to be used in an upcoming Holocaust dedication was able to be saved.

The State Fire Marshal is currently investigating and a fundraiser page was brought online within several hours.


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