Massive inferno engulfs 114-year-old Philadelphia church

Firefighters are battling a major fire at a church in the Parkside section of Philadelphia.

The blaze erupted at the Greater Bible Way Temple at 52nd and Warren streets just before 3 p.m. Tuesday. Fire officials say the three-alarm fire is under control but fear the 114-year-old structure may collapse.

The view from Chopper 6 showed flames and smoke billowing from the top of the structure.

"I see the smoke and the next thing I know I ran over to get the people out of the lobby. They didn't even know the church was on fire," one witness tells Action News.

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel says at least one person was transported to an area hospital for unknown injuries.

Action News has learned that there were workers on the roof at the time of the fire.

Massive inferno engulfs 114-year-old Philadelphia church

Sure seems like a lot of church fires have been breaking out. I hope they can determine if it was arson or not.

There were workers on the roof when it started according to witnesses.

It has been reported that a day care at the church had to be evacuated. The fire is still active and firefighters will be there into the night.

I will try to keep this story updated and post some pictures and movies.




ETA - There is a video of a man on the roof with a hose and there is a propane tank on the roof also. The video is at the link below. Go to about the forty second mark to see the man and propane tank on the roof.

Fire Erupts at West Philadelphia Church, Shooting Flames Through Steeple

A massive, two-alarm fire, ripped through a church in Philadelphia's Parkside neighborhood. Aaron Baskerville has the latest on the investigation and takes a look at cellphone video showing a man and a propane tank on the roof moments before the blaze. Meanwhile, Rosemary Connors speaks to the church's pastor.

ETA - Video

Dang that reminds me so much of Notre Dame, these old churches sure go up like a tinder box.

Do Mosques ever catch on fire?

originally posted by: pteridine
Do Mosques ever catch on fire?

Exactly

a reply to: pteridine

Only in war zones as far as I know.

Even then it is avoided if at all possible.

Guess they didn't pray hard enough. Let that be a lesson for the future. Don't pull your weight you get smoted.

a reply to: pteridine

No. They explode.

Been going on for years until they wanted to kill “the devil” and attacked anyone non-Muslim. Until that happened on a regular basis... nobody cared.

Now?? It is the height of stupidity. Action/reaction is only making things worse (see Israel and Palestine for one). And here is where we are.

Where do we go? How does it end? IDK. I just want off this rock...

Oh no! Such a beautiful historical church.
I hope no one was seriously injured.

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
ETA - There is a video of a man on the roof with a hose and there is a propane tank on the roof also. The video is at the link below. Go to about the forty second mark to see the man and propane tank on the roof.

They were probably doing some repairs and were not careful enough, those old wood structures are easy to burn.

Any updates?

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I had arguements on youtube where Christians says Churches are not temples. What does the name of the chruch mean if it isn't a temple. Churches are god dam temples! Jesus approves this message.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Is this close to where the 6 police officers were shot two weeks ago?

originally posted by: pteridine
Do Mosques ever catch on fire?

They do, obviously, but the different type of construction makes it easier for this type of church to be seriously affected by fire.

The church fire has been declared an accident. It was set ablaze by workers "using an open flame on the roof."

Massive Fire That Destroyed West Philadelphia Church Ruled An Accident, Officials Say

Fire officials have ruled the massive fire that destroyed a church in West Philadelphia was an accident. The Greater Bible Way Temple on the 1400 block of North 52nd Street in Parkside burst into flames Tuesday after workers were using an open flame on the roof.

The church is now “imminently dangerous”.

Philadelphia church deemed 'imminently dangerous' after massive blaze

The city agency's concern is not with the church's massive stone walls, but with the potential of roof slates and other debris in the fire-damaged roof structure that could become dislodged in storms or strong winds.

L & I has told the leaders of the church they must erect a fence around the fire scene and hire an engineer to develop a plan to remove or secure the damaged roof.

originally posted by: ArMaP

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
ETA - There is a video of a man on the roof with a hose and there is a propane tank on the roof also. The video is at the link below. Go to about the forty second mark to see the man and propane tank on the roof.

They were probably doing some repairs and were not careful enough, those old wood structures are easy to burn.

Any updates?

Yes, that would be the simplest most plausible explanation!

a reply to: Quantumgamer1776

104 years is nothing for a church

a reply to: Oleandra88

Very true...

But over here it is