Fire crews are battling a massive church fire in Charles City County. Henrico firefighters are helping battle the blaze at St. John's Baptist Church in Charles City County, southeast of Richmond. Fire Officials say the call came in about 5 o'clock this morning. But by the time they got to the church, all they could do was try to contain the fire from spreading to nearby trees. All that's left standing of St. Johns Baptist Church is the front door. Fire fighters from several counties were called in to fight the early morning blaze. The hand-built church dates back to the late 18-hundreds.
This is just one of a number of church fires in the Richmond area in recent months. A task force investigating those other fires has been contacted. That group has been probing at least a half-dozen other church fires in the area since last summer. Most of those fires have happened at churches in nearby Henrico and Hanover counties.
The Reverend Eddie Petty, St. John's pastor emeritus said the church is over 100 years old and has about 200 members but he says "it's just a building" and that the congregation will continue to hold services at an alternate site. That is Union Baptist Church at 5801 Old Union Road in Charles City. For more information on services call 804-829-2926.
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