Report: Roofers fled church fire

CHICAGO, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The roofers who started the fire that destroyed a historic Chicago church allegedly fled without reporting the fire to the authorities.

They later told investigators they went home because they were scared.

A fire department report obtained by the Chicago Tribune says the fire at Pilgrim Church began small -- started by a propane gas torch used by one of the workers -- but the roofers gathered their tools and fled the scene when they realized they couldn't put it out, stopping just long enough to call their boss to tell him what was happening.

On the way out, they ran into a Pilgrim deacon frantically trying to learn the source of a burning smell in the building. One of the roofers replied "No speak English" and drove off, Robert Vaughn, chair of Pilgrim's board of trustees, told the newspaper.

Investigators say the workers went home because they were scared.

As of Monday, there was no additional investigation pending, the newspaper said. "We believe no criminal action contributed to the fire," said police spokeswoman Monique Bond.