Philadelphia

Wrecking Ball Meets Fire-Ravaged 19th Century Tacony Church

A 2 alarm fire tore through St. Leo the Great church on Sunday.

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

St. Leo the Great Church, an imposing stone house of worship in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood, is being demolished by a wrecking ball, a day after a fire tore through the 135 year old structure.

SkyForce10 was overhead as demolition crews take down the building around 2 p.m. Monday. Watch above.

The fire was first reported around 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the defunct church located at Keystone Street and Unruh Avenue. It quickly grew to a 2 alarm blaze.

Built in 1884, St. Leo had been a community landmark in Tacony for more than 135 years. It became a worship site in 2013 after merging with Our Lady of Consolation Parish and it permanently closed in January 2019, according to a report by the Northeast Times. 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

A massive fire destroyed the historic St. Leo the Great Church in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood. NBC10's Steven Fisher spoke with former parishioners.
Contact Us