PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Delaware community is reeling after a two-alarm fire tore through a historic church Sunday morning.
Fire crews responded around 3 a.m. to the Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, where a two-alarm fire ripped through the structure on North Franklin Street. Officials said it took about 90 minutes to bring the fire under control.
Senior Pastor Dr. Ron Whitaker of Mother African Union Church said the church will be rebuilt. While he described the damage to the church as "catastrophic," no one was reported injured.
"We will not stop; we will keep moving," Whitaker said. "We believe that this moment will not be the end of our story. It has become part of our testimony. As scripture reminds us, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
The Rev. Ruben McElrath, associate pastor of the church, said he and his family, who live across the street, noticed something was wrong when his son was leaving for work.
“My son was heading out to work. He works at night, and he noticed smoke coming from the church,” McElrath said. “So he notified us immediately, and my wife called 911 right away.”
Hours after the flames were extinguished, neighbors said the smell of smoke still lingered in the area as community members gathered outside the church in disbelief.
Linda Peterson Rose was preparing to attend services when she learned the church had burned.
"It's heartbreaking. Just seeing all this is heartbreaking," Peterson Rose said. "My granddaughter, she called, she said, 'Mommy, our church is burned and has been burned down.' I thought I was dreaming."
Ralph Williams, a former member and trustee of the church, said this church is a part of American history, and the story isn’t over yet.
“Because of the history, being the first independent, unincorporated, and owned by slaves, I believe the church is going to bounce back even greater,” Williams said.
The church also hosts the annual August quarterly event that brings hundreds of people to the area from around the country each summer. The pastor said the event's future will be decided once they have more information.
"This beautiful, historic church has been a cornerstone of our city for generations. With ties to the Underground Railroad, the congregation at Mother African Union Church has provided comfort and hope to our community throughout its history, and continues to do so through fellowship and annual August Quarterly events," said Mayor John Carney. "I am confident that their longstanding tradition of faith and community will carry them through this difficult time. My sincere appreciation goes out to the brave men and women of the Wilmington Fire Department for their swift response."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
