F.A.M.E. Engulfed By Flames

By Carla Thomas

On Sunday night, February 19 a 3-alarm fire ripped through the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church, near Telegraph and MacArthur in Oakland.

Flames engulfed the rooftop and much of the interior of the oldest church in Oakland. Firefighters said it was such a challenge to put out the fire from the inside, that they retreated to the exterior while extinguishing the fire for five hours.

FAME Church was established in 1858, serving as a spiritual and cultural center for the African American community in Oakland for over 160 years. The church was a sanctuary of hope and perseverance for many who had faced discrimination, segre- gation, and racism.

On President’s Day, the following morning, many church members, clergy and community members -- still in disbelief -stood outside the charred structure where pieces of debris, and black ash surrounded the front entry and side street of the church.

While the Oakland Fire Department investigators observed the damage to the church, onlookers drove by to view the remains of the building while some parked and chatted with congregation members to offer support.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and is under the investigation of OFD as well as the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive.

Continued