MOUNT VERNON — Three fire departments equipped with eight fire trucks and 27 firefighters battled a fire Thursday morning in the Victory Church of Christ, just north of Mount Vernon on Upper Fredericktown Road. The Mount Vernon Fire Department was the initial responding agent to the fire and quickly called in mutual aid from the College Township Fire Department and Fredericktown Community Fire District.
According to State Fire Marshal Public Information Officer Shane Cartmill, Wednesday morning’s church fire has been ruled accidental. “It appears to be an electrical issue, originating at or above the ceiling level in the sanctuary,” Cartmill said Thursday afternoon.
The property appears to be a total loss according to the SFM, which estimates the damage at $300,000.
The joint investigation involved MVFD, SFM and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigators according to Cartmill.
“It is a loss but we are not despairing,” said church leader, evangelist Carl Snelling. “We have already been offered support from other Churches of Christ. It will bring us all together.”
Snelling said churches in Millwood, Palmyra and a church Victory supports in South Carolina, Palmetto Church of Christ, have been very supportive already.
“It is just a building. We will rebuild and continue with a positive attitude. [The church] was a great loss that God let us use. Somehow we will turn it around and something good will come out of this,” Snelling said.
A passerby saw smoke and called in the alarm at 7:35 a.m. When the first engine arrived the fire had already vented through the roof.
Mount Vernon Fire Chief Shawn Christy said they used a fire hydrant for water supply at Clinton Road and laid out 800 feet of 4-inch hose to supply water to the engines at the church.
The fire involved the sanctuary and basement of the 3,900 square feet of the structure. Christy said the fire burned quickly because this part of the structure, built in 1993, was made of light-weight construction materials. The steeple fell within 15 minutes of fighting the fire. In the next half hour, the stage of the sanctuary collapsed and then the sanctuary floor burned through. At this point, firefighters were called from the building. Christy added the fire was contained in 45 minutes to an hour.
Cartmill said the ATF is routinely called in for investigation of church fires. According to ATF Public Information Officer Special Agent Kim Riddell, the ATF is normally called in by local fire departments and the SFM in the event of a church fire, because of the ATF’s experience in investigating such fires.
“We are typically contacted by the local authorities to provide our expertise in church fires,” Riddell said. “We do have a good degree of expertise in this field.”
The ATF was called by the SFM quickly according to Riddell. “They were there shortly after the fire. They responded as quickly as they got the call from the SFM,” she said of the agents who are stationed in Columbus.
Riddell said beginning an investigation quickly can bring resolution to a community shaken by a church fire. “With a fire of this nature, it affects the community,” she said. “It’s best to expedite the investigation and resolve it as soon as possible to restore the community and give the community some answers.”
“We can’t know in the beginning if a fire is actually an arson, so we respond to assist local authorities such as the SFM and local fire department,” Riddell explained.
Riddel said the two ATF investigators on the scene shortly after the Victory Church fire were available to assist MVFD and SFM investigators with scene investigation, interviews and scene processing.
Investigators first determine the point of origin of the fire, which in this case was the ceiling area The sanctuary. Riddell said the investigators also conduct interviews as soon as possible after the fire occurrs.
Riddell said she did not have any information regarding how many interviews were conducted after Thursday morning’s fire, but witnesses and first responders would typically be interviewed.
“They can provide clues and meaningful information to fire investigators regarding such things as the height and color of the smoke,” Riddell explained.
Fighting the fire in one-degree cold was very difficult. In addition to the temperatures, deep snow and slippery conditions slowed firefighter’s time in deploying the heavy water-filled hose. The job is more dangerous because of these conditions. Christy said the cold weather caused water to freeze on the roof and sides of the church.
Because of the large number of firefighters on the scene, firefighters were rotated in and out of the church to give breaks, warm up and rehydrate. Medics were on site to monitor the firefighters, Christy said. No firefighters were injured.
Christy said all the trucks functioned perfectly with the exception of a couple of gauges that appeared to freeze.
Riddell stressed the importance of the working relationship and cooperation between, local, state and federal investigators in fires such as the one which happened Thursday morning.
“It was absolutely wonderful,” MVFD Chief Shawn Christy said of the joint investigation. The chief said he felt the interagency cooperation went exactly as it should, and brought quick resolution to the investigation.
Upper Fredericktown Road was closed while firefighters and investigators were on the scene. A Knox County Highway Department crew sanded down the hill north of the church before the road was reopened to traffic.
Snelling said church officers were planning to meet today to discuss the fire and formulate a plan for what to do next. The 40 member congregation will hold worship services Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon at the Holiday Inn Express.
