Fire guts historic Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware

The historic Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware, was destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning.

The two-alarm fire started around 3 a.m., and took about 90 minutes to get under control, Wilmington Fire officials said. Photos provided by the department show flames shooting from the now-gutted church on N. Franklin Street.

Several nearby homes were temporarily evacuated because of the heat and embers coming from the fire, but no other houses or buildings were damaged.

"In moments like these, we are reminded that the church is more than a building – if its the people, the faith and the community that continues to stand together," Rev. Dr. Ronald W. Whitaker II said in a statement shared on the congregation's Facebook page. "We sincerely thank the fire department, first responders, and everyone who was reached out with prayers, love and support."

Rep. Sarah McBride, who represents the entire state of Delaware in Congress, said her heart breaks for the church community.

"Mother African is a staple of Delaware's Black community, our state's faith traditions, and the liberation struggle it was founded in more than 210 years ago. The loss of their beautiful house of worship is devastating news for all who gathered there, organized there, prayed there, and made memories there," she wrote on social media. "I know all of us will be there for the Mother African family, led by Rev. Dr. Whitaker, as they chart the path for this faith community to once again turn hardship into hope and pain into progress."

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while responding to the blaze, the Wilmington Fire Department said, but no civilians were hurt. The charred building is structurally unstable, according to fire officials, and can't be entered until an evaluation is performed on the remaining structure.

In a statement, Wilmington City Council President Trippi Congo said the church's story is "is deeply woven into the story of Delaware itself."

"Through some of the darkest chapters in American history, Mother African Union Church stood as a light that could not be extinguished. During slavery, this sacred institution helped give birth to the August Quarterly, one of the oldest continuously celebrated African American religious festivals in the nation," Congo said in part. 

The church also played a role in the Underground Railroad and the Civil Rights era, according to Congo.

The Wilmington Fire Marshal's Office is currently investigation what caused the massive fire.