Firefighters had been known as to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church within the 6300-block of South Stewart Avenue round 2:15 p.m. A fireplace appeared to have began on an higher flooring and rapidly unfold all through the construction.

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By 2:25 p.m. CFD had escalated their response to a 2-11, after which to a 3-11 at 3:07 p.m. Greater than 194 firemen and 54 apparatuses responded to the scene, the fireplace division mentioned.

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A lot of the constructing’s truss roof had collapsed by 3 p.m., division spokesman Larry Langford mentioned.

It was unclear if anybody was contained in the church when firefighters had been dispatched, he mentioned. The hearth appeared to start within the higher rear of the church, the place crews first observed heavy smoke. Flames may very well be seen popping out home windows of the church in a video posted to social media.

“This church is an anchor on this neighborhood,” mentioned Lead Pastor Gerald Dew. “It is a place the place individuals have gotten married, discovered their religion, they have been inspired, they have been geared up and empowered. It is a neighborhood church.”

The reason for the fireplace was not instantly recognized and stays underneath investigation. Chicago fireplace officers formally declared the fireplace struck out shortly after 4 p.m., although firefighters had been nonetheless preventing flare-ups and hotspots for a number of hours after.

“A lot of the roof is gone,” Langford mentioned. “It was a very fashionable church within the Black neighborhood.”

Dew mentioned he doesn’t consider anybody was contained in the church on the time of the fireplace. Shortly earlier than the blaze started, parishioners had stuffed the pews for vacation companies to mark Good Friday.

“I do know this: If we have got to lose one thing, shedding it on Good Friday is the most effective time to lose it as a result of after Good Friday comes resurrection Sunday,” Dew mentioned.

And whereas parishioners had been devastated by the lack of the historic construction, they had been additionally optimistic in regards to the energy of the congregation.

“It is past the partitions of the sanctuary, we’re a household past the church partitions. And we love one another,” mentioned Marquita Gill, church member. “It is very devastating, however I do know we’ll get previous it.”

“All this does for us is provides us a better cause to redouble our efforts to be intentional about our involvement and dedication to this neighborhood,” Pastor Dew mentioned.

At one level a firefighter was seen being taken away in an ambulance. Officers mentioned he slipped on the road and twisted his ankle; he was not injured by the fireplace.

Pastor Dew mentioned that whereas the church itself could also be burned, they are going to discover a option to maintain companies on Easter Sunday.

The Solar-Occasions Media Wire contributed to this report.