NEAR FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) — Flames ripped through a church near Fort Lauderdale after, officials said, a fire broke out in the attic. A day after the fire broke out, Broward County Code Enforcement spent the morning inspecting the house of worship, deeming it unsafe.
On Thursday, 7SkyForce flew over the National Church of God where a small hole was seen that allowed firefighters to contain the blaze.
Broward Sheriff’s Office units, with assistance from Lauderhill Fire Rescue, responded to the scene of the blaze at the church, located along the 3000 block of Northwest 12th Street, Wednesday night.
Congregation members were in the church for choir practice when they detected the smell of smoke shortly after 7 p.m. One churchgoer described hearing crackling sounds from the ceiling; that was when he called 911.
“As we got closer to the door, we started smelling it even worse, so that’s when we opened the door and went inside the church,” said church minister Vincent Cartwright. “We went straight to the dining room, because we have a kitchen, so we checked to see if there were any appliances on fire. We didn’t see anything on fire, but we saw a whole bunch of smoke in the dining room.”
When firefighters arrived, they accessed the roof, broke it open, and located flames in the attic, quickly extinguishing the fire. Although there was some damage, the foundation of the church remained intact, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.
“Yes, they came quick. You know, when you’re dealing with the Lord, God makes a way out of no way, you know, and … it’s a good thing it didn’t do much damage,” said Cartwright, “so we give God all the praise and all the glory for taking care of His house, a house of prayer.”
Officials believe the fire started in a light fixture, and they do not consider it suspicious.
The cause remains under investigation.
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