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Pastor Gives Saints Shoutout for Saving Church After Suspected Arson Fire

By Joe Ward | October 24, 2016 8:42am | Updated on October 24, 2016 10:29am
 St. Florian, patron saint of firefighters.
St. Florian, patron saint of firefighters.
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firefighter.com

CHICAGO — As charges are pending against a man accused of breaking into and setting fire to a Belmont Cragin church early Monday, the parish pastor is giving a nod to the patron saints of police and fire fighters.

On the church's Facebook page, the pastor of St. Genevieve says that the fire in the sacristy destroyed vestments and a storage cabinet shortly after midnight.

A neighbor of the church, at 4835 W. Altgeld St., saw at least one person breaking into the church and called Chicago Police Department.

"The police were quickly on the scene, followed the person into the sacristy and found that there was a fire. The Chicago Fire Department was promptly on the scene. The fire was extinguished, and contained within the sacristy," the parish priest said.

 St. Genevieve, 4835 W. Altgeld St.
St. Genevieve, 4835 W. Altgeld St.
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St. Genevieve Chicago

"Smoke filled the church and I was able to open the church windows about 2:30 a.m. to dissipate the smoke," he said.

"St. Michael the Archangel, patron of police, and St. Florian, patron of firefighters, together with the policeman, fireman and the observant neighbor are to be commended for their assistance this evening," he wrote.

Officer Laura Amezaga, a Chicago Police spokeswoman, said officers responded to call of a burglary in progress. Police arrived on the scene and found the man getting out of a window and saw smoke rising from the church, Amezaga said.

The Fire Department was called and the fire was extinguished with minor damage to the building, Amezaga said.

The man was arrested by officers and charges are pending, she said.

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