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'Our hearts sank': Catawba, SC church total loss following massive fire
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'Our hearts sank': Catawba, SC church total loss following massive fire
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CATAWBA, S.C. (WJZY) — Mount Zion A.M.E. Zion Church, a congregation in Chester County, South Carolina that has been together for more than 150 years, vows to stay together after a fire destroyed their sanctuary Thursday night.
The fire chief says the smoke could billow for a couple of days because of the strong winds.
Firefighters say the winds and a lack of fire hydrants fueled the fire that broke out Thursday night.
The flames were already shooting through the roof of the church on Canal Road when firefighters got there.
“It was a pretty fast-moving fire,” said Darius Murphy, Fire Chief of the Lando Fire Department.
The strong winds were another battle, knocking the water back on them.
“It would be hitting good, then you’d just get a big gust, and it would just kind of blow back on you,” said Murphy.
Reverend Andre Showers couldn’t believe it.
“Everything was just burning up, it was just engulfed in flames, it was just devastating,” said Rev. Showers.
The Lando Fire Department had to bring in about half a dozen other departments to tackle the fire and to get water to the area.
Richburg Fire Rescue reported that before responding to the large church fire on Thursday, they battled a vehicle fire in the early morning hours and responded to a medical call.
“Our hearts sank with the last call. We were dispatched to a structure fire at a church, supporting Lando Volunteer Fire District,” Richburg Fire Rescue said. “Upon arrival, flames were visible, and the fire had breached the roof.”
Because it’s such a rural part of Chester County, firefighters say it was about a seven-minute haul to carry water from the closest supply, since there are no fire hydrants nearby.
“To see it going up in flames, that was hard,” said Showers.
It was even harder to know that his congregation is suffering.
“It’s also grief because it’s a loss to us,” said Showers.
The building has stood for about 40 years, but the church has been together for 151 years. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the blaze.
“I did not realize we had as much support as we have, and it’s sad that it took something like this,” said Showers.
But in this Christmas season, they won’t lose hope.
“We know that we’re still going to celebrate the birth of Christ, but we’ll just be doing it in a different place,” said Showers.
The community is offering them a temporary space to worship.
“The good Lord’s going to get them through; they’re going to stay together,” said Murphy.
And they promise to rebuild in the exact spot where the church was destroyed.
“We will not allow this to take us out or take us down,” said Showers.
The church is strong just like their faith.
“With God, we can do anything, and we’re going to stand on that,” said Showers.
The fire chief says the State Law Enforcement Division always comes out to investigate church fires.
That doesn’t mean this one is suspicious.
The pastor says officials have told him they believe there could have been some electrical issue that caused the fire, but no official cause has been released.
The community is holding a special service for Mount Zion A.M.E. Zion Church at 2:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
It will be at the Kenneth Monroe Transformation Center on Saluda Street in Rock Hill.
That will also be where the church holds its regular services now until they can rebuild.
“Please keep the Mt. Zion Church family in your thoughts and prayers,” Lando Volunteer Fire District said on Friday.