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A church in Ford Heights, Illinois, was engulfed in flames on Wednesday afternoon, drawing a swift response from local authorities.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the fire erupted shortly before 2 p.m., prompting an immediate emergency response.
By 2:45 p.m., Chopper 7 was capturing aerial footage of the scene at 1602 Drexel Avenue, revealing the extent of the blaze.
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Thick plumes of smoke billowed from the building, while large flames were clearly visible, creating a dramatic and concerning sight.
Firefighters quickly arrived and worked diligently to bring the fire under control, as they battled the intense heat and flames.
Two maintenance workers were treated for smoke inhalation and released, the sheriff’s office said. No one else was inside.
The Ford Heights assistant chief said the flames became too intense; so firefighters had to fight the fire from the outside. Then, the roof collapsed.
“They seen heavy smoke coming from the back of the building. By the time they made entry, there was fire throughout the whole roof.” Ford Heights Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Lawrence Ewan said. “With a water infrastructure that’s pretty bad, it’s a lot of challenges. So we were pulling waters from multiple sources in town.”
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Fire departments from Ford Heights, Richton Park and Monee responded and put the fire out.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but at this time it does not appear suspicious, the sheriff’s office said.
The pastor of True Light Temple of Praise said the church has been in the community for decades. He said once he found out about the fire he had to be picked up off the ground he was so overcome by emotion.
Pastor James Morgan said they spent more than $40,000 trying to renovate and revitalize the nearly 60-year-old church, which has been a beacon of hope for the community.
“Imma be honest: I’ve just been here. I’ve been looking at the fire, waiting to get the details myself. We were just here on Sunday having a great time. And I’m devastated myself; I’m trying to figure out what’s going on,” Morgan said. “We just celebrate as anniversary. So to see this happen is really devastating to me”
Pastor Morgan was overwhelmed by emotion when he first got the call.
“My sister here had to pick me up off the ground,” Morgan said. “When I got off, I was at work, and they was calling me, telling me that the church is on fire, everybody calling me up.”
Rhe cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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