WHITNEY, Texas (KXXV) — Fort Graham Baptist Church burned down on Tuesday and was demolished on Wednesday.
- One firefighter was injured and sent to the hospital
- No one was inside of the church during the time of the fire
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The church might be gone, but Jesus is still here," said local resident Susan Malone.
Susan Malone has lived across from Fort Graham Baptist Church for over 55 years. She said watching it burn down on Tuesday was something that made her sad. Then, it was demolished on Wednesday.
“There’s a cross there. It might have happened, but God is still alive and well. Jesus arose, and this church is gonna rise up again and be strong in this community," said Malone.
The cross she sees daily was saved during Wednesday’s demolition. The Hill County Sheriff’s office said on Tuesday that a call was made that an ATV located next to the church was caught on fire and spread to the sanctuary, which quickly spread to other parts of the church. Officials said the fire continued until the wee hours of Wednesday morning. One fire fighter was injured, taken to the hospital, and two other firefighters were treated and released on scene.
ShayLA Tucker, who also lives across the street from the church, said while she didn’t attend the church, it’s sad to see it gone.
“Not seeing it now and not seeing the things that have been a whole staple of my life, it’s jarring. It’s something that you won’t get used to for a while...especially if you’ve seen it your entire life," said local resident ShayLa Tucker.
Bryan Hill, the pastor of Fort Graham Baptist Church, said he was inside the fellowship hall when the fire started and used three fire extinguishers to put the fire out.
“It would put the fire out a little bit, but then it would just immediately pop back up. I was trying to figure out the best place to spray it. When I got the third fire extinguisher, I was able to rip the seat off because it had burnt away, and I was trying to spray it," said Bryan Hill, pastor of Fort Graham Baptist Church.
Hill said his heart breaks for the community of Whitney and what this church means to so many local neighbors. He plans to have church on Easter Sunday so the community can praise God.
“And he left us a place to gather, and we would’ve gathered regardless, you know, if we have to get lawn chairs on the grass or on the parking lot…we’re going to keep coming," said Hill.
To donate, click here.
