The fire at Balsora Baptist Church in Bridgeport consumed the building, according to the Wise County Emergency Services Department No. 2, and when the flames died down, one symbol was left standing tall, the church’s cross.
The department said, “The fire took the structure, but not the cross. A symbol that the building was just that, a building. The Church is the congregation, and where 2 or more gather, there He shall be also.”
Photos posted online showed the cross standing among piles of blackened debris, while additional images showed the flames reaching up from underneath the church’s roof.
When extreme temperatures made it more difficult for fire crews, officials asked for help from state and local agencies.
A Fox news report said, “As firefighters battled the blaze, the church roof began to collapse with crews still inside, according to fire officials. Several firefighters were treated by Wise County EMS on the scene.”
Video footage showed the flames crawling over the church’s roof as firefighters stood at a safe distance, watching the scene unfold:
In a social media post, Balsora Baptist Church announced it would hold a gathering the following Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and asked attendees to dress cool and bring a lawn chair.
They were planning a prayer service and seeking God’s direction for the Church following the loss.