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Fire damages church on Bloomington Road; cause under investigation

Fire damages church on Bloomington Road; cause under investigation

When crews arrived, moderate smoke was visible from the roof eaves and high windows. Photo: Saga Communications/Craig Ondevilla


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — A church in the 1600 block of Bloomington Road sustained significant damage Wednesday afternoon after a fire broke out in the upper portion of the sanctuary, prompting a multi-agency emergency response.

The Champaign Fire Department was dispatched at 12:28 p.m. following multiple 911 calls from passing motorists who reported smoke coming from the building. When crews arrived, moderate smoke was visible from the roof eaves and high windows, and the incident was quickly upgraded to a second alarm.

Firefighters from both Champaign and Urbana extended several hose lines and worked together to knock down the fire and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the structure. Crews remained on scene for an extended period to fully extinguish hot spots.

Investigators from the Champaign Fire and Police Departments are still working to determine the cause of the fire. No firefighter injuries were reported.

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