Crews responded to the scene on Taylor Lane around 3:55 a.m.
Once crews arrived, they said the building’s sprinkler system had extinguished the fire in the sanctuary.
Firefighters said there is smoke damage throughout the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The state’s Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives is assisting in the investigation.
The church staff is working to notify families that their daycare and school will be closed on Thursday.
Cleanup is underway at a church in Wyoming after a fire Monday night.
“It’s like, ‘My goodness, the church is on fire,’” said John Booy, superintendent of the Potter’s House School.
Booy said the fire started in a waste basket near a sound board in the sanctuary, damaging the equipment. Fortunately, it was put out quickly.
“Our fire suppression sprinkler system worked really well because the fire started right underneath the balcony, which is all wood and it would’ve been no time, it would’ve gone up like a match,” Booy said.
Water from the sprinkler system caused some damage in the sanctuary and classrooms underneath it that are used for computer, art, science and music classes for the school that is connected to the church.
“There was an extensive amount of damage to the ceilings, which will all pretty much have to be replaced, smoke damage, soot is going to have to be taken care of, electrical has been damaged,” Booy said.
In the hours following the fire, Booy said The Potter’s House saw an outpouring of help from the community to start the recovery process.
“Everybody came out, got out of bed, drove over, even if it was from Holland or Muskegon, worked all through the night until 4:30 (a.m.) and beyond,” Booy said.
As restoration work continues, school is expected to begin as normal on Aug. 26. But it could take some time before the sanctuary can be used.
“We’re not going to be able to have our opening worship session in the church like we planned,” Booy said.
He said he’s thankful that no one was hurt and the fire wasn’t worse. He acknowledged things could have been much different if those board members didn’t notice the incident quickly.
“You have a meeting that you never have go that long, you leave and you see a light in there and you’re on it right away. So we were able to notify the fire department immediately,” Booy said.
Firefighters responded to the Masonic Lodge at 551 W. 21st Street on a fire alarm activation at 2:11 a.m.
When CFD personnel arrived on scene, they found a fire on the left front exterior of the building which was quickly extinguished. The front doors were also open and as crews made entry, they found another small fire inside the structure which had activated the sprinkler system. The sprinklers effectively extinguished the interior fire.
Along with fire and water damage, there was also damage to the building from vandalism.
There is an active and ongoing investigation into what happened at this location.
According to a release from the fire department, at 4:03 am crews were called to Missouri United Methodist Church on Ninth Street where they found a large amount of smoke in the multipurpose area of the building and the automatic fire sprinkler system in the building was already activated.
Fire crews initiated search and rescue operations and began ventilation operations to clear the structure of smoke and ensured the fire was contained.
The fire sprinkler system fully extinguished the fire and no injuries were reported.
Columbia fire marshals determined the fire to have originated on the stage and was caused by a piece of sound equipment.
Everything was brought under control within thirty minutes.
Fire crews remained on the scene until mid-morning to ensure there were no areas of hidden fire remaining and to remove as much smoke and water as possible from the building.
Initial damage was estimated at $200,000.
“I pray for the individual, if he is able to see this, that you would come to know the Love of Jesus,” Pastor James McMenis at Word of God Ministries said.
About 4:30 a.m., a security camera at Word of God Ministries showed footage of a masked male hitting a door of the church with a bat and gaining entrance into the building. Cameras followed the suspect, who proceeded to douse the children’s area with gasoline.
The masked man then lit a fire. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire within a minute.
Shreveport firefighters and police were on the scene within minutes of the incident.
A Word of God Ministries spokesperson said that services will go ahead as scheduled Sunday.
This incident is under investigation.
A man police said is known to them was taken into custody in connection with the break-in and fire. The building’s chapel suffered damage from the arson, but the fire was “contained with the help of the building’s sprinkler system,” according to a press release.
The suspect also reportedly destroyed the building’s windows and office areas. Officials say he was seen on security footage “piling a chair and new coats onto a pew in the chapel and lighting it on fire.”
“This has been devastating to our staff here,” said Captain Josh Polanco, who leads the Brooklyn Park service center. “Our food shelf here is fairly new, and membership at our church has been growing. But we will make the necessary repairs, because the families in the community rely on us for assistance.”
The service center was preparing to distribute winter coats, which would have taken place on Friday. The Salvation Army is asking for coat donations of all sizes, for adults and kids, to replace those that were damaged in the fire.
“We know at least 200 coats, which were damaged already– those we have to replace,” Lt. Colonel Dan Jennings said. “And we think more people will need coats as well, and today is a great reminder it does get cold in the Twin Cities.”
The coats can be dropped off starting Monday, Nov. 7 at 10011 Noble Parkway. Or you can specific donate to the coat program here.
Alerted to a blaze at Peace United Church of Christ just after 2 a.m., firefighters arrived to find thick black smoke filling the building at 1503 2nd Av. NE., Fire Department spokesman K.C. Clark said.
The fire broke out in the church’s lower level between the sanctuary and an attached preschool. A portable water extinguisher was used to put out the main fire. An overhead sprinkler that had activated before firefighters arrived helped keep the fire from spreading, Clark said.
Damage was mainly confined to the area of the blaze, but there was a significant smoke on the main and lower levels, Clark said.
“Nearly all parts of the church will need remediation due to the smoke,” Clark said. “Things might have been much worse had the church not had an automatic smoke and fire alarm. Had the building not been protected by an alarm system, it is likely the building would have sustained significant fire damage.”
No one was in the building at the time, and no firefighters were hurt, Clark said.
A damage estimate was not immediately available. Officials have not determined a cause.
Firefighters arrived at the mosque around 1a.m Saturday morning. The fire was already being extinguished by the building’s emergency sprinkler system. Firefighters were able to control the blaze in about 30 minutes.
According to security footage, there was nobody inside at the time. No injuries were reported.
Investigators say there is about $50,000 in damages.
Fire crews responded after an automatic fire alarm went off Saturday at Faith and Wisdom Church.
When firefighters arrived, they determined the fire had started in a small utility room. The fire had been extinguished by the fire sprinkler system, but firefighters had to shut off the sprinklers.
Crews helped out with extensive cleanup, using vent fans to clear out the smoke. They also used squeegees to remove water from the building to prevent it from spreading into the sanctuary.
It’s unclear how much damage the fire caused at this time or how it started. Though the church was able to reopen Sunday and hold morning services.
