Cause of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church fire was accidental: CFD

By Web Staff

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — The blaze that destroyed Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Englewood was accidental, the Chicago Fire Department has determined. The fire erupted on Good Friday and flared up again Saturday morning.

CFD said the fire started due to work being done on the roof using a propane torch.

Firefighters have been back several times, including Saturday morning when the flames reignited.

“Oh my God, what a destruction,” said Leslie Campbell, who works at the church. “What are we going to do?”

Campbell has been a security guard at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church for nearly 30 years, and he never expected to see his church destroyed.

“I was very surprised because it’s a strong church,” he said.

The destruction of the church brought many out to see the aftermath, including those who grew up in it like Julius Tucker.

“I was christened here and baptized here, also earned my first paycheck here,” said Tucker.

CFD said since the roof collapsed it’s impossible to get inside safely.

“At the present it’s unstable for us to go in,” said Deputy District Chief Curtis Hudson. “That’s why we keep coming back for rekindles because we can’t get to the seed of the fire from where our point of vantage is.”

The church will hold its Easter service at Calahan Funeral Home.

“The church will keep its get together, and I’ll be there,” said Campbell.

Edward Calahan, the president of Calahan Funeral Home, reached out to Lead Pastor Gerald Dew about holding Easter service in their legacy center.

Through the convincing of my son-in-law, Rev. Jasper Taylor, he just said, we need to reach out to Pastor Dew and ask him if he needs some assistance from Calahan Funeral Home and if they need the space, we would accommodate,” said Calahan.

Those who live in the neighborhood say when you think of Englewood, you think of Antioch.

“It’s heartbreaking, but again, it is a building and so the memories don’t go anywhere. They stay put,” said Tucker.

The Chicago Fire Department said it is up to the building department whether the church should be torn down or whether it is salvageable.

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