Historic church in Chicago on fire

More than 150 firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a church on Chicago’s South Side Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out Wednesday morning at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest church on the city’s south side. The extra-alarm fire started about 6 a.m. Wednesday, sending flames through the roof. Dozens of people were evacuated, and a nearby school was used as a shelter.

It is unknown if there have been any injuries reported or if anyone was inside the building at the time of the blaze.

“We’ll find out what happened, they won’t let us in yet”, said the Rev. Michael Stein. Firefighters concerned about the stability of the church tower will remain on scene to watch for hotspots throughout the day. The fire is not considered suspicious and investigators are still trying to determine its cause, according to a tweet from the department.

The church, formerly known as St. Gelasius, was built by the Calced Carmelite Order in 1923 and once housed a national shrine to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, according to the church’s website.