Propane torch sparked at church on Chicago's South Side: CFD

CHICAGO (AP) - A fire that roared through a prominent church on Chicago's South Side was sparked by a propane torch on the building's roof, the Chicago Fire Department said Saturday.

'œThe CFD Office of Fire Investigation has determined the fire at Antioch Church to be accidental and caused by work being done on the building roof using a propane torch,'ť the department said on Twitter.

The multiple-alarm fire blaze at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church began after 2 p.m., Friday an hour after services ended, and wasn't brought under control for 90 minutes.

'œThis church is an anchor in this community,'ť the pastor, Rev. Gerald Dew, told reporters at the scene. 'œIf we've got to lose something, losing it on Good Friday is the best time to lose it because, after Good Friday comes Resurrection Sunday."

No one appeared to be inside at the time of the fire, Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

Around 150 firefighters and 50 engines, trucks and ambulances went to the scene, Langford said. The only reported injury was a firefighter who slipped on the street and injured his ankle, he said. He was taken away in an ambulance.

The South Side church is well-known for its political clout and community involvement, investing in several housing projects starting in the 1960s. The church provides more than 1,500 units of affordable housing for seniors, the physically handicapped and for families, Dew said.