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Fuller Park Church Damaged By Fire

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Frozen hydrants caused a few problems for Chicago firefighters as they battled a church early Monday morning in the Fuller Park neighborhood.

The fire started shortly before 5 a.m. at Greater Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church, in the 5100 block of South Princeton Avenue.

Frozen hydrants set crews back a bit, but once they got the hydrants thawed and open, they were able to get the fire extinguished rather quickly.

No injuries were reported, but the fire was a big loss for the community, where the church has been around for six decades.

Most of the damage to the church was in the back and the attic.

The fire also spread to an apartment building next door. All four tenants were forced out, and must find temporary housing.

"The fire had bust the windows open, and we came running out. The Fire Department got here, and it took so long … for them to put it out. They was having problems with the water," Shantoria Jordan said.

The pastor of the church said it was empty when the fire started. He didn't know what would have caused it.

The cause of the fire was under investigation early Monday.

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