Delaware: Cause of Mother African Union Church Fire in Wilmington Officially Ruled Undetermined
WILMINGTON, New Castle County, Delaware — The Wilmington Fire Department announced on October 27 that the cause of the May fire at the Mother African Union Church on Franklin Street has been officially ruled "undetermined," following a joint investigation by city, state and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigators and insurance investigators.
Fire officials said much of the building was judged too dangerous to enter after the fire, preventing investigators from examining the interior — the main obstacle to determining a cause. The investigation remains open and the finding can be revisited if new evidence emerges.
The Mother African Union congregation traces its history to the 19th century and has used the church as its headquarters since 1969; it is a landmark of Wilmington's Black church tradition. The church's pastor, the Rev. Dr. Ronald Whitaker II, has said the congregation will keep meeting and pursue rebuilding plans.
Source: GSM · America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：威尔明顿克里斯蒂娜河畔市景（CC BY-SA 2.5，Wikimedia Commons）。Wilmington, Delaware, along the Christina River (CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons).
