Michigan church ravaged by blaze

October 25, 2002
Courtesy Of The Toledo Blade

PRATTVILLE, MI - Less than three hours after firefighters put out a church basement fire, flames engulfed the historic building and left a congregation homeless.

"I know the church members feel somewhat devastated by it, but we'll get through this. We need to move on," said the Rev. Monte Landis of the Prattville Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The two fires shocked the 62 church members in this small town about four miles north of Waldron, Mich. It appears the fire began about 4 p.m. Wednesday in a basement restroom near an electrical box, Mr. Landis said yesterday. Firefighters put out the fire and left the scene about 6:15 p.m.

At 8:45 p.m. when firefighters returned to check on the church, the fire had rekindled and quickly spread throughout the building. About eight neighboring fire departments, including Morenci, Fayette, and Pioneer, assisted Waldron firefighters.

Once the fire reignited, there was little firefighters could do to save the old, wooden church covered with metal siding.

"Your older style buildings [have] what they call balloon construction; they don't have fire stops on each floor. Your fire can go all the way up into the attic," said Wright-Waldron Fire Chief Don Gruber.

The cause of the fire is undetermined but doesn't appear suspicious, Chief Gruber said. State Fire Marshal Ken Hersha said he plans to investigate today to determine how the fire started.

Yesterday, passers-by slowed their cars to look at the charred remains. The west wall of the church lay on the ground. Strips of aluminum siding creaked while swinging from the church's tower.

Former church members, Dorothy and Wallace Cooper, drove from Morenci to view the damage.

"We heard it was burned to the ground," Mr. Cooper said.

Mrs. Wallace cried as she looked at what remained of her childhood church.

"I got a phone call about 10:45 [Wednesday night]. It just made me so sick," Mrs. Wallace said. As a young girl, Mrs. Wallace, now 69, attended the church and still does on occasion. "They just put on a new roof a few weeks ago."

According to church records, German Dunkards built the church in 1872. The Dunkards were a branch of the Brethren, a German Baptist religious group. Preachers of the Seventh Day Adventist faith had proselytized in the area for some years afterward and eventually converted the Prattville congregation in 1895.

Jini Lane, a member of the church and a mother of three, had been cleaning the church Fellowship Hall next door about 2 p.m. Wednesday when electrical power went out in this small town. She returned about 4 p.m. to find the church smoldering and firefighters arriving.

"It was scary watching all that smoke come out. The church is 100 years old. You just think it is going to be around forever," Ms. Lane said.

Ms. Lane was able to give firefighters a key to the church's front doors as they were about to break them open with an ax. The blackened doors remain standing.

Although the church members have lost their worship place, all is not lost, Pastor Landis said. The pastor of Prattville Community Church - the only other church in this community of about 30 homes - has offered to let the Seventh Day Adventists use the church until their building is rebuilt.

Pastor Landis said he is meeting tomorrow with the insurance adjuster to discuss the amount of damage and the cost to rebuild the church. He said the church is insured for replacement. The church will hold an open business meeting soon to discuss its plans.


 

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