The pastor’s family says the Love, Faith, and Praise Church of God in Christ was more than a sanctuary. It was a place for children and families to find safety in a challenged neighborhood. Kim Vatis reports.
Firefighters battled an extra-alarm fire for more than two hours Friday morning at a church in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
No injuries were reported in the blaze that fire officials said started around 4 a.m. at Love, Faith, and Praise Church of God in Christ in the 400 block of West 70th Street. Flames shot from the roof of the 125-foot building, and the two-alarm blaze quickly escalated.
The fire was struck just before 6:30 a.m. Fire officials said the blaze was isolated to a residence attached to the church. A partial collapse was reported in the rear of the building.
Members of the church began arriving at about 6 a.m., devastated by the state of the building. They said the church is a landmark that's been around for more than 100 years and was renovated less than a year ago.
It's unclear what started the fire or where it was sparked.
