The Clayborn Temple Church in Downtown Memphis went up in flames early Monday morning. The second-alarm fire was reported just before 1:40 a.m. at the historic church and civil rights landmark located at 294 Hernando Street, according to the Memphis Fire Department (MFD). It was unknown what caused the fire.
“Despite our best efforts, as you can see, it has sustained significant damage,” MFD Fire Chief Gina Sweat said. “The fire is under control at this point but we still have hot spots, so firefighters will be working throughout the day.”
Sweat added that the fire was under control about an hour after firefighters responded. There were no reports of injuries. The MFD Fire Chief also said it would “take some time” to find out the fire’s cause because of the significant damage to the building. Sweat also confirmed that the ATF is also involved in the investigation.
“Due to the historical significance of this building and the amount of damage, we’re partnering with them (the ATF),” the fire chief said. “They’re bringing in additional teams, some dogs in soon. They’re bringing some more technology to the table that we don’t have in Memphis. We can’t put people in there at this point until we make sure the building is safe enough.” She added: “The ATF gives us a whole lot more resources available to get in there and look around.”
FOX13 spoke to the building’s owner about the devastating loss. “It’s 130 years of history and one of the most sacred buildings in the city and region,” said Anasa Troutman, executive director of The Big We, which owns the building. “And I don’t know what we’re gonna do.”
