When firefighters arrived, the 128-year-old church was engulfed in flames. The firemen went to work but there was no stopping the fury of the blaze. The eerie red glow from the fire could be seen for miles. The block exterior remained but the roof and interior of the church were completely destroyed. Monday morning, portions of the building were still smoldering.
Firefighters were on the scene Monday still putting out hotspots. An investigator from the state fire marshal’s office was also at the church investigating the fire. County fire chief Steve Carver stated that while he did not know what caused the fire, there were several possibilities. “You can’t rule out lightning. You can’t rule out electrical. And you can’t rule out electrical caused by lightning,” stated Carver.
The fire began not long after a band of storms moved through Coffee County. The storms featured extensive lightning.