WOODLAWN (KYTX) -- A church congregation is making plans to rebuild after an overnight fire destroyed its fellowship hall. The fire happened at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Harrison County. CBS 19's Abby Broyles spoke with firefighters today and shows us how it happened.
Firefighters from six departments fight a fast-moving fire Wednesday night. It happened around 11:00pm at the Woodlawn Baptist Church, north of Marshall.
"The flames were already coming out of the eaves when I got here," Billy Westmoreland said.
Westmoreland, a 79-year old volunteer firefighter, has been a member of Woodlawn Baptist all his life. He was there fighting the fire, working to save his church.
"We've got a volunteer department, and I'm one of them, so I was here," Westmoreland said.
Harrison County fire marshal Thomas Mock says the fire destroyed the fellowship hall, where the old church sanctuary used to be.
Today you can see the steeple of the new sanctuary straight through here, where the fire ripped through this side of the building. 6,000 square feet are destroyed. The fire marshal says the winds were not this strong last night, otherwise he says this could have all been much worse.
"If [the wind] had been like this I don't know if they could have contained it and not lost the sanctuary," Mock said.
Investigators say the fire started near an old water heater. The fire moved quickly through the attic, and the roof collapsed.
"It appeared to have had a failure, a breakdown in the pipe over time, probably let the hot gases escape into the attic," Mock said.
Woodlawn Baptist was founded 160 years ago. The congregation has worshipped in several buildings over the years, and after Wednesday night's fire, they plan to rebuild.
Westmoreland says, "I was born and raised in this community so I feel loyal to it."
Westmoreland says church will go on this Sunday in their sanctuary, still left standing.
Church services will be held in the sanctuary at Woodlawn Baptist this Sunday. But some Sunday school classes will be held in the church parsonage. Those with questions should call the church office.
