EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a developing story and will be updated.
The community of Pennington lost the Ebenezer Baptist Church building to a fire overnight.
“It’s a total loss,” said Jerry Snowden, who is chair of the church’s deacons.
The fire started around 10 p.m. Tuesday night (Aug. 18), Snowden said. The church, which is in Choctaw County, is more than 175 years old.
A church insurance representative was on the scene this morning (Aug. 19), and Snowden indicated that firefighters were still on the scene earlier today putting out hot spots so the fire marshal can return to investigate the cause of the fire tomorrow (Aug. 20).
Calls to emergency personnel were not returned before this story was posted.
Update Aug. 26: A fire marshall determined the cause of the fire to be a lightning strike.
Share with others: