UPDATE: Crews battle four-alarm fire at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church near 9th and Highland

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Fire Department battled a four-alarm fire at a church on Tuesday afternoon.

The call first came in around 3:45 p.m. for a report of a fire on the roof of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The fire at the church, located near 9th and Highland, quickly escalated to a 2nd alarm and then eventually ended up as a 4th alarm fire, the Assistant Fire Chief confirmed.

There is currently over 85 personnel working on the scene of the fire.

The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is a historic building that was completed in 1878. The church was declared a Milwaukee landmark in 1967, a state historical landmark in 1979, and also placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The church's website says it was designed by Fredrick Velguth in Victorian Gothic style and was built in the shape of a cross.

According to the fire department, it's too early to determine where the fire actually started or what the cause is.

The Milwaukee Police Department asks that citizens continue to avoid the area.

The Trinity Lutheran Church released the following statement, "We are heartbroken but know that a church is more than a structure - it is the people that make up the church. It is the people that will carry on in God's grace and mercy. Your prayers and concerns are greatly appreciated."

This is a developing story. Stay with CBS 58 on air and online for more information.