Dec. 08--POMFRET -- A fast-moving fire severely damaged the First Congregational Church of Pomfret on Saturday, burning away sections of the roof just weeks before Christmas.
No one was injured in a blaze, which appears to be accidental, fire officials said. As many as 10 departments battled the fire, which took several hours to bring under control.
The church's steeple collapsed during the fire, and the damage was severe enough that church members say the regular service will be held across the street in the chapel at The Pomfret School at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Firefighters walked out of the church with a cross and an American flag that had been salvaged as parishioners gathered outside the building.
The cause of the blaze, which started around 12:30 p.m., had not been determined by Saturday evening. The Saturday men's fellowship breakfast had been held at the normal time at 8 a.m., and the fire was discovered just a few hours later.
While the church was founded around 1715, the structure that burned does not date back to that time, officials said.
The church's immediate future was unclear, but church members said they would rebuild.
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