Chicago's landmark Holy Name Cathedral ablaze

[February 04, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Firefighters are battling a blaze at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral, a city landmark and the seat of Cardinal Francis George.

Flames seen shooting out of the building's roof earlier Wednesday had been replaced by plumes of white smoke.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford says the fire hadn't spread from the roof to the church's sanctuary. But he says there's a lot of water in the building.

No injuries were reported.

Chicago Archdiocese Chancellor Jimmy Lago called the fire a tragedy.

The original church was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The new cathedral was completed four years later.

Holy Name recently underwent restoration and repair work after engineers found structural weaknesses in the roof.

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On the Net:

http://holynamecathedral.org/

[Associated Press]

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