Plumes of smoke and the charred fa??ade were all that remained of St. Raphael Cathedral, 222 W. Main St., after a fire gutted the building Monday morning.
The fire began at 5:32 a.m. and the Madison Fire Department arrived at 5:39 a.m., calling it a two-alarm fire, Madison Fire Department Chief Deborah Amesqua said.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but the investigation has begun, she added.
Dane County Emergency Command Center, four Madison Fire Department ladder trucks and Madison police officers were all present at the scene in an effort to contain the fire while working to keep the public at a distance due to the unstable conditions.
Bishop Robert Morlino, who was at the cathedral praying yesterday morning, said he had to fight back a few tears.
\I am deeply grateful for no loss of life. I am grateful to the Lord that everyone remains safe,"" he said.
Monsignor Paul Swain was alerted of the fire after hearing the news on the radio early Monday.
Swain said he had never seen the fire department in action like thats before.
""Our faith is more than a building. We can rebuild a building,"" Swain said.
The 184-foot steeple continues to stand under unstable conditions. ""We know that the steeple has to come down, it is just how and when,"" Amesqua said.
The Madison Fire Department is working with engineers to determine how to remove the steeple, she added.
St. Raphael was the first Catholic Church built in the City of Madison, being constructed over 150 years ago, Morlino said. Since 1946 St. Raphael has been the mother church of the diocese and holds a historical presence in many peoples' hearts, he added.
Morlino expressed his gratitude toward the firefighters for their kind and compassionate assistance.
He said he felt the loss a father would feel when he loses his own home to which he can invite his sons and daughters.
Although Morlino is forlorn, he said he is not discouraged. ""Tragedies happen, but people always pull together and I see that already on the streets of Madison,"" he said.
Until the meeting with the diocese consultants takes place Tuesday, nothing is being ruled out. It is important to take this one day at a time, Morlino said.
With Easter less than two weeks away, Morlino said there are six other churches in downtown Madison, which leaves many options.
The fire left the top completely exposed, as cranes were placed inside to maintain the structure, remove debris and stabilize the steeple.
