CHICAGO (Feb. 4) - Crews have extinguished fire at Holy Name Cathedral, a 134-year-old Chicago landmark and the seat of Cardinal Francis George.
Flames shot through the church's blackened roof for about an hour before they were replaced by plumes of white smoke. The fire was struck at around 8 a.m.
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There were no injuries.
Church officials say there was extensive water damage and fire officials were pumping water out of the basement. The fire also burned gaping holes into the roof.
Chicago Archdiocese Chancellor Jimmy Lago expects the church to be closed for months.
He says sacramental records that were kept in a fire proof vault in the rectory are believed to be safe.
"Our main concern now is to try to keep the fire out of the main sanctuary area, which right now is getting a lot of water, but as I speak no fire," fire department spokesman Larry Langford said before the blaze was put out. "The fire is confined to the roof of the church, and the attic area. Some people were inside the building when the fire broke out — they've all been taken out safely."
The fire appeared to have been burning for awhile when discovered by a member of a crew working on renovations to the cathedral, said Chicago Fire Commissioner John W. Brooks.
Holy Name's pastor, the Rev. Daniel Mayall, said the fire set off the sprinkler system, which kept the flames from the cathedral's extensive wood paneling and ornate decorations.
"We have gone through a lot in the last year and it's a shame to see that we're back to square one again," Mayall said.
Restoration and repair work on the building was recently completed after engineers determined that structural weaknesses in the roof caused a 10-pound piece of decorative wood to fall 70 feet from the ceiling last February. No one was injured in the incident.
Chicago Archdiocese Chancellor Jimmy Lago called the fire a tragedy and said his heart goes out to Holy Name's parishioners.
Parishioner Kathy Sorvillo, 60, walked from her home a block away to check out the damage.
"To rebuild something so beautiful is going to be hard," she said bundled up against the cold. "I'm really sad, I don't know what we'll do now."
The church and its nearby buildings, including a school and rectory, take up an entire block in downtown Chicago. The fire didn't damage those buildings.
The original Holy Name was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and the new cathedral was reopened four years later.
The fire comes amid a $10 million "Restore & Renew" fundraising campaign to renovate and update the cathedral and other structures on its campus. The last major renovation took place in 1968.
According to the church's Web site, a 2006 engineering study found "several critical items" in need of updates, including fire protection in the rectory and replacement of the roof membrane. The church had already replaced its floors and refinished pews.
The church, built in the Gothic revival style, can seat 1,520 people and has a 70-foot vaulted ceiling. Its spire reaches 210 feet.
