Fire reignites again at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Englewood; members say community needs church to return

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Firefighters spent a few more hours Tuesday morning hosing down hot spots at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Englewood, four days after an extra-alarm fire destroyed all but the stone wall of the church.

Ever since that extra-alarm fire was extinguished, flames buried deep in the rubble have repeatedly rekindled, prompting firefighters to pour more water on the ruins to prevent the fire from spreading any further. 

Firefighters spent a large part of Monday afternoon dousing the fire after it rekindled again. Video posted to Twitter by CBS 2's Steven Graves showed flames raging through ground-floor windows at the church, at 6248 S. Stewart Ave.

The Fire Department called a still-and-box alarm for equipment and manpower.

By 3:15 p.m., firefighters seemed to have the flames under control.

Late Monday, the Fire Department said it was still pouring water into the church, but the fire is still burning in the deeply compacted debris. Whenever the water is stopped, the fire is inclined to reignite, the CFD said.

The CFD will be trying foam to starve the fire of oxygen.

The fire first broke out around 2:30 p.m. Friday. The Fire Department went on to raise a 3-11 alarm for extra equipment and manpower.

The fire completely burned away the roof structure, leaving a lot of heavy timber crashing to the floor of the church. Pews were also likely on fire inside the structure.

A Good Friday service had been held at the church at noon, about two and a half hours before the fire.

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church held its Easter Sunday services at Calahan Funeral Home, 7030 S. Halsted St.

As the rekindling happened Monday, heartbroken church members continued to come out. One was Eddie Johnson III, 43.

"It's like losing a loved one," Johnson said.

Johnson has been coming to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church since childhood. His zeal for community work started with his time playing basketball in the church's gym as a kid.

 "It gave me a platform to give back," Johnson said.

Johnson is now a church leader himself, as the executive director of the church's nonprofit – Antioch Community Social Service Agency.

His is just one story of the thousands of people helped out in Englewood since the church moved into the building in 1958. Weddings, funerals, graduations, community outreach events were all held at the church building.

Johnson said the social service agency helped give out 500 COVID-19 vaccine doses around Englewood.

"This coming summer, we'll provide summer day camp. We do day camp in this building," Johnson said. "So now we're going to have to look for a safe haven for young people. It's frustrating. It's a loss. But we're hopeful."

Also hopeful is Rosalind Bonds.

"Some of my oldest friends now are ones I met at Antioch," Bonds said.

Bonds started coming to Antioch Missionary Baptist at the age of 12. She got married at the church and raised her two kids there.

Since opening at the location at Stewart and Englewood avenues in 1958, the church helped provide affordable housing in Englewood.

The program provided a blueprint for churches and nonprofits across the nation.

Bonds sees the rebuilding as a new beginning. She hopes to adjust to the times with enhanced technology, and to attract more young people inspiring change in people – like Johnson.

"Our upbringing enhanced our lives; that made us the people we are today," Bonds said, "and I think that's what we need in our church." 

Meanwhile Monday, church pastor Rev. Gerald Dew was out again, visiting nearby buildings as the church leadership figures out where to hold future services. The funeral home where the Easter Sunday service was held says it expects to host the church for at least another week.

The cause of the original fire from last week is believed to be accidental.

In:
• Englewood