Historic Church Gutted By 5-Alarm Blaze In Chester

Trang Do reports.

CITY SKYLINE AS FOG CONTINUES TOLIFT.BOTH DIRECTIONS LOOKING GOODWITH ALL LANES CURRENTLY OPEN.WELL UPDATING BREAKING NEWSTHAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALLMORNING LONG.A MASSIVE FIVE ALARM FIREDEVOURING HISTORIC CHURCH ALONGNINTH STREET IN CHESTER DELAWARECOUNTY.THAT FIRE NOW SPREAD TO ANOTHERBUILDING."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTER TRANGDO LIVE WITH THE LATEST ONFIERCE BATTLE ALL NIGHT LONG FORTHOSE FIREFIGHTERS.HELLO TRANG.REPORTER: WELL, GOOD MORNING,JIM.FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN ON THESCENE HERE IN CHESTER FOR ABOUTFOUR HOURS NOW.JUST A HERCULIAN EFFORT TO GETTHIS FIRE OUT AS THIS HISTORICCHURCH, TAKE A LOOK, JUST ASHELL LEFT OUT OF THE CHURCH.YOU CAN SEE THE SCALE OF IT ANDWHAT IS LEFT BEHIND.NOW, THIS IS ALL THAT REMAINS ONTHE CHURCH.BUT THE SECOND FIRE BEHIND ITCONTINUES.TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEOSHOWING MASSIVE FLAMESOVERNIGHT.NOW, THIS FIRE STARTED AROUND2:30 THIS MORNING AT FORMERTHIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHLOCATED AT 420 EAST 9TH STREET.WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED, THEYSAW HEAVY FLAMES SHOOTINGTHROUGH THE ROOF AND THEYQUICKLY STRUCK A SECOND ALARMWHICH THEN ROSE THIRD, FOURTH,AND FIFTH.AS THIS FIRE CONTINUES TO GROW.NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLECOLLAPSES THROUGHOUT THE MORNINGHERE AT THIS PROPERTY AND SEEINGTHIS HISTORIC CHURCH DESTROYEDBY DEVASTATING FOR BYSTANDERS TOWATCH.WE HAD MULTIPLE COLLAPSES OFTHE REAR AREA.AREA WE DID HAVE A COLLASPE INTHE REAR THERE.

WE HAD MULTIPLEBUILDINGS.MANY YEARS AND FEELS SO MUCHHISTORY IN THERE.THAT'S SAD PART ABOUT IT.NOW, HERE'S LOOK AT THATSECOND FIRE THAT WE'RE TALKINGABOUT THAT'S SPREAD FROM THECHURCH TO BUILDING BEHIND IT ONPOTTER STREET.THE FIRE COMMISSIONER THOETEDTHAT THIS BUILDING MAY BE AN OLDSCHOOL BUILDING.FORTUNATELY THOUGH, NO INJURIESREPORTED FROM EITHER FIRE.TAKING A LIVE LOOK OUT HERE ONCEAGAIN HERE ON 9TH STREET.SEE THE SECOND FIRE STILL RAGINGTHAT YOU SEE.HOWEVER FIRE IN THE CHURCHBUILDING IS OUT.FIRE COMMISSIONER TELLS ME THATCREWS WILL REMAIN OUT HERE FORSEVERAL HOURS.BECAUSE THERE'S JUST STILL HOTSPOTS AS WELL AS THAT SECONDFIRE TO CONTEND WITH.FOR NOW WE'RE LIVE IN CHESTER,