Ice encases nearby cars, powerlines after fire destroys historic North Philadelphia church
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Firefighters battled a blaze amid harsh elements at a historic church in North Philadelphia Monday night.
Despite their best efforts, firefighters were unable to save the United Missionary Baptist Church, which is now encased in ice.
The blaze broke out around 7:34 p.m. at the church on the 2500 block of Thompson Street.
Flames burned through the house of worship, destroying what many neighbors describe as a longstanding cornerstone of the community.
The sanctuary and stained glass windows of this 133-year-old building are now exposed to the harsh winter elements after the roof collapsed during the fire.
Church members were seen consoling each other in frigid temperatures as firefighters worked to extinguish the intense flames.
"I was shocked. It's just such a shame because it's an old historic building. So many people on this block go to that church every Sunday," said Kenny Whittwer, of Brewerytown.
It's also a rough morning for neighbors whose cars are covered in layers of ice after the water used to put out the flames froze overnight.
The weight of the ice is also weighing down powerlines. PECO has since arrived on the scene to focus on the powerlines that are nearly touching the ground.
Fire officials say no one was inside when the fire broke out and that they're still looking into what caused the fire.
They say this church means a lot to this North Philadelphia community and the family who passed it down through the generations.
"It is a family church. It's built around family, this community. It's a staple in this community. It's been here forever," said Deana Culver, of Brewerytown.
"I'm outside relaxing in my backyard every Sunday morning and I hear the church music. It's just a staple of the community," Whittwer added.
Fire officials say they had to cut the power as a precautionary measure as heavy ice on powerlines created additional risk.
Raven Ford was among the nearly 200 PECO customers who went without power overnight. She decided to evacuate Tuesday morning to take her dog Luna somewhere warm.
"No electricity in our apartment, and our whole apartment is electric, so unable to do anything," Ford said. "Just came and got here, packed up my stuff."
No injuries have been reported.
"For anyone trying to contact our pastor and church officials, please know they are safe and tending to this tragedy. Please say a prayer for our church building," the church wrote in a Facebook post.
