An Akron church with a rich history dating back to the 1880s went up in flames Wednesday night into Thursday morning as crews worked for hours putting out the blaze. The Akron Fire Department said a medic leaving a nearby hospital noticed smoke coming out of Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church around 11:30 p.m. At 12:43 a.m., the fire was declared a second alarm fire, before quickly turning into a third alarm fire, according to fire officials. Firefighters used so much water that it was pouring down the steps of the church and onto the street. Authorities closed off Forge and Market Streets as crews continued to control the flames.