Historic Wilmington church damaged in massive fire

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At 3 a.m. on Sunday, flames tore through the historic Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, leaving behind only parts of the sanctuary’s frame.  Ash covered the streets and smoke lingered in the air for hours. While two firefighters suffered minor injuries, no one else was hurt.

Monday, neighbors, church members, faith leaders and elected officials gathered across from the church to reflect on the significance of the nearly 213-year-old institution. The group reaffirmed that while the building was damaged, the church’s spirit remains intact.

“In the midst of tragedy, I am reminded of the power of community,” said Ronald Whitaker, the current senior pastor of the Historic Mother African Union Church. “We are better together. I am because we are, and because we are, I am. I am reminded that there could be no testimony without a test,” he said. “The flames may have touched our building, but they did not consume our faith. They did not destroy our mission, and they did not erase our history.”

A legacy rooted in Black history and liberation

Former senior pastor Lawrence Livingston, who led the congregation for 22 years, emphasized the church’s national historical significance and the legacy of founder Peter Spencer.

“It represents history. This represents history going all the way back to 1813 in this country,” Livingston said. “This congregation was the first incorporated African-American congregation in the country. Not just in Wilmington, but in the entire nation and that’s significant.”

Livingston also highlighted Spencer’s influence in creating the August Quarterly, a religious gathering founded in 1814 that became one of the oldest African-American religious festivals in the country.

“If you’re a Delawarean, you need to remember the name Peter Spencer. His name is right up there with the Founding Fathers,” Livingston said. “So this church, this building represents the church, the community of faith, of course, the community as a whole, the city of Wilmington, the state of Delaware, and even the nation in terms of what it represents.”

Bishop George Gibbs, president of the Interdenominational Ministers Action Council of Delaware, compared the fire to the 2019 blaze at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, saying the destruction of a building does not destroy the faith of its people.

“We gasp in dismay today while the historical landmark here at the Motherland Nation went up in flames yesterday morning,” Gibbs said. “While relics and artifacts were forever lost and destroyed at Notre Dame, memorials and memories and historical articles were lost here.”

“While a 900-year-old historical monument was consumed yesterday, a 213-year historical landmark was destroyed, but its people were not defeated,” he added.

Even amid the devastation, Whitaker said the surrounding community quickly stepped in to help, with neighbors providing breakfast, coffee and support to first responders and displaced residents throughout the morning.

Among those attending the gathering was Beverly Whye, whose family has worshipped at the church for nearly a century. She said she first learned about the fire after receiving calls from her children, who work as firefighters and police officers.

Like many members of the congregation, Whye said her faith remains strong and hopes the tragedy brings the community together.

“I look at it as when things happen, miracles come. So I’mlooking for a miracle because you know our church was old, it was old and it needed work,” said Whye.

“I’m not going to say it’s a blessing, but this is such a big help for people for us coming together,” she said.

Firefighters battle flames while community steps in to help

Wilmington Fire Chief John Looney said investigators are still in the early stages of determining the cause of the fire and are working alongside the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office.

“Right now, we are in the early stages of a fire investigation,” said Looney. “At this time, we’re unable to give any details of what occurred.”

Looney later told reporters and the public that two firefighters from the Elsmere Fire Company suffered minor injuries while protecting nearby homes after a large tree limb fell on them during operations.

Looney said when firefighters arrived at 3:15 a.m., the fire had already torn through the church.

“It was just engulfed in flames,” Looney said. “The tactic we used is what we call a defensive operation, where we set up what we call large master streams, large hose lines to start extinguishing the fire from the exterior.”

Looney said because of concerns that flames and embers could spread to nearby homes, firefighters evacuated residents and deployed additional crews to protect the buildings. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene.

“We had significant concerns that the fire would travel,” he said. “When you have 30 to 40 feet of flames, there was a little bit of a breeze out that evening for that early morning,” said Looney. “So we immediately had to deploy more resources behind the church to protect those homes,” he said.

Church leaders said they will begin discussions on temporary worship arrangements and ministry operations in the coming days. Faith leaders across Delaware also pledged financial support toward rebuilding efforts, with Gibbs encouraging churches throughout the state to take offerings for the historic Mother African Union Church.