PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Fire crews are on the scene of a massive church fire in Kensington that forced nearby homes to evacuate.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Friday, crews responded to fire alarms at the Radical Church of Philadelphia, located near the intersection of Allegheny and Frankford avenues.
“We had multiple collapses on the loadbearing walls,” said Deputy Chief Thomas Gallagher. “The roof collapsed also.”
The church was constructed in 1884. Gallagher said the fire engulfed the church quickly because of the wood that was used to build it at the time. It took a lot of damage, but fortunately, no one was injured.
Seeing the destroyed church was emotional for some neighbors like Lamar Sanchez.
“I started smelling the smoke and I came over here and I was like — man, it’s real,” he said. “I was befuddled.”
The fire was placed under control around 2 a.m., but fire crews expect to be on the scene for a while.
The fire did not spread to other structures, but several neighbors were evacuated, including three residences and a nursing home.
The Red Cross has been called to help anyone who may be displaced for an extended time.