CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Fire Department has now determined the cause of a fire that destroyed a South Side church Friday and where firefighters continued monitoring and responding to hot spots throughout the day on Saturday.
The CFD ruled the cause as accidental in a tweet.
The Antioch Missionary Baptist Church's roof was fully engulfed in flames and collapsed about an hour after nearly 200 Chicago fire personnel had responded. Large bales of smoke for several hours built over the nearby Dan Ryan Expressway and bits of burnt debris littered the ground hundreds of yards away from the building.
Reverend Gerald Dew has served the church for more than 20 years and remains hopeful despite the dire situation.
"There was no injuries-no loss of life, so the church is still alive, " he told WBBM. "The church is still open."
The Antioch Missionary Baptist Church will hold its Easter Sunday services Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at a temporary location at Calahan Funeral Home at 70th and Halsted. The service will also be streamed online at https://ambcchicago.org/.
"I just know we will have Easter service," Dew said. "We will celebrate. We will rejoice."
Related
