GUWAHATI: A massive fire broke out at the 117-year-old Church of God at Qualapatty near Shillong  on early Sunday morning.  Police informed  that an elderly couple died in the fire.

The two may have died due to suffocation as their house was located very close to the church. The elderly couple’s pet dog too died in the fire.

The church is surrounded by several houses. Probe is on to find the cause of the fire, Ms Lyngwa said.

The Church of God – Meghalaya and Assam – was constructed in 1902 at Mylliem, about 20 km away from Shillong. An indigenous church, maintained by local Christians, it is also one of the most prominent Protestant Churches in the area.