Firefighters battled a major fire at a 115-year-old church in Philadelphia which caused parts of the structure to collapse onto the street.

The blaze erupted at the Greater Bible Way Temple at 52nd and Warren streets at around 2.50 pm on Tuesday.

Footage recorded from a helicopter show flames and plumes of smoke billowing from the top of the structure in the Parkside area of the city.

Firefighters are battling a major fire at Greater Bible Way Temple in Philadelphia's Parkside area (pictured)

No one was trapped or needed to be rescued during the fire and no injuries have been reported, according to investigators

'I see the smoke and the next thing I know I ran over to get the people out of the lobby. They didn't even know the church was on fire,' one witness told ABC Action News.

'Right now the fire is not under control,' said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel told the station.

The church is also home to a children's daycare center and there were reports that the center was evacuated.

A social media user posted a photo showing smoke billowing out of the top of the church

Footage recorded from a helicopter showed flames engulfing the top of the church's roof

The church takes up a large triangular property enclosed by North 52nd Street, Lancaster Avenue and Bible Way, NBC reported.

No one was trapped or needed to be rescued during the fire and no injuries have been reported, according to investigators.

The Red Cross of Eastern PA told the station that multiple responders were at the scene for much of the day.

'Greater Bible Way Temple is 60-year-old ministry located in the heart of the West Philadelphia. We welcome you to experience worship and fellowship with us,' the church's website reads.

'We are not a perfect church - just a forgiven church whose doors swing on the hinges of Love.'

Billowing smoke from the inferno at the religious complex can be seen from more than a mile away

Fire crews were called to the Greater Bible Way Temple at 52nd and Warren streets at around 2:50pm Tuesday

A social media user posted a picture showing the massive plumes of smoke clouding the sky

The fire was placed under control around 6 pm. Crews will remain on the scene to put out hot spots and monitor the structure in case of any collapse.

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said earlier: 'This is an active firefight. We are still very worried in an old building like this.

'We are worried about collapses, so there are parts of the building that have already collapsed into it. We have parts of the building that have collapsed into the street.'

No one was trapped or needed to be rescued during the fire, according to investigators.

Commissioner Thiel said one person who they believe was in an adjacent property was taken to the hospital. They have not yet revealed that person's condition.

Pastor Bishop Benjamin Peterson said he was at the church at the time of the fire and described the incident as 'heartbreaking.'

He told NBC Philadelphia: 'Many of us that are standing here, our parents and our grandparents, gave their blood, sweat and tears, money to this ministry that we might come here.

'We came here 36 years ago, purchasing the complex from the archdiocese.'

The church, which also serves as a shelter and neighborhood outreach center, is described as an 'anchor in the community.'

'We're going to stay together. And we're going to do all that we can do as a congregation to bind our forces together and we'll come out of this.'

Bishop Peterson said the church had planned on celebrating its 61st anniversary this week.

'We are asking God to provide, as he always has, us with a place to worship,' he said. 'We will be in need of funds to help us along this journey and I declare in the name of Jesus the Christ, things just got better.'