Fire engulfs century-old building
FOX 29 Philadelphia with permission
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylania (FOX 29 Philadelphia) – Officials are working to discover what sparked a 2-alarm blaze that gutted a former church and neighborhood landmark Sunday afternoon in Tacony.
Firefighters were called to the former St. Leo’s Church on the 6600 block of Keystone Street around 5 p.m.
Large flames engulfed the century-old building which sent thick black smoke billowing high enough into the air to be noticed on I-95.
The Philadelphia Fire Department said the fire was upgraded to 2-alarms shortly after crews arrived. The fire was placed under control around 7:30 p.m. No injuries were reported.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia Chief Communications Officer Kenneth A. Gavin said it’s likely that the church is a complete loss.
Gavin told FOX 29 that St. Leo’s merged with Our Lady of Consolation Parish in 2013 and has not been used for regular mass celebrations for a long time.
