Two-Alarm Fire Destroys Historic Wilmington Church, Injuring 2 Firefighters

10 articles · Updated · NBC Philadelphia · May 17

Mother African Union Church was largely reduced to ruins after a fire broke out around 3 a.m. Sunday on North Franklin Street, with two firefighters suffering minor injuries.
Flames shot 20 to 30 feet into the air and spread through the entire building, forcing commanders to order an exterior-only attack and quickly call a second alarm.
More than an hour of firefighting was needed to bring the blaze under control, while nearby homes were evacuated because of falling embers before residents were allowed back.
The church is now structurally unstable and off-limits, and investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire.

Amidst the church's total destruction, can modern fire science provide clear answers, or will the cause remain a painful community mystery?

With millions spent to preserve Black churches, why do these historic community pillars remain so vulnerable to sudden destruction?