Piedmont’s Faith Baptist loses fellowship hall to fire

Piedmont’s Faith Baptist loses fellowship hall to fire

Members of Faith Baptist Church, Piedmont, in Cherokee Baptist Association, were upbeat after a fire destroyed the church’s fellowship hall on July 7.

“They realize the building can be replaced and are thankful nobody was hurt,” said Wendell Dutton, director of missions for Cherokee Association, who attended worship at Faith on July 8, the morning after the fire.

Dutton said the church was holding a Saturday evening fish fry prior to the fire.

A strong thunderstorm blew up during the evening with lightning, which the state fire marshal’s office determined to be the cause of the blaze.

Spring Garden Fire Chief Butch Jacobs said the church members did an outstanding job evacuating the fellowship hall after the fire was discovered.

Firefighters from three local fire departments fought the fire, according to Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency Director Shawn Rogers.

Sanctuary unharmed

The church’s sanctuary, which sits 20–30 yards from the fellowship hall, was unharmed by the fire, which was fortunate because both buildings had vinyl siding exteriors and the heat from the blaze was extreme, Dutton said.

Faith Baptist pastor Jeff McElroy said the building was insured. He said the church plans to rebuild once the insurance company completes its required investigation, a process that normally takes about 90 days. (TAB)