'We Are A Family Here': Congregants Of Chester County Church Engulfed In Flames Vow To Rebuild
NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- Weather may be to blame for a fire that swept through a Chester County church and quickly engulfed its roof. The blaze broke out around 10 p.m. at the Coventry Hills Church of Christ in North Coventry Township on Saturday.
The sanctuary at the church has fire and water damage to its ceiling. The pews and ground are covered with soggy insulation.
"We had one firefighter hurt. He was checked out by the medics and released back to the scene," Norco Fire Company Deputy Chief Chuck Hipple said.
"A wet mess," church member Rosalie Keyser said.
"It's going to be a lot of work to clean up," church member Naomi Mast said.
The debris brought tears to eyes as congregants tried to find the words to describe their disbelief.
"It's part of our life. Our children, our family," one woman said.
The puddles of water were not dampening spirits of the faithful who grabbed brooms and buckets ahead of Sunday's service.
"I'll do whatever I can. I mean, this is part of the family. We are a family here," Keyser said.
The church has a lot of meaning for Mast.
"My husband and I were baptized here," she said. "We raised our children here."
There are about 50 church members and church leaders say until the sanctuary can be restored, services will be relocated in the Fellowship Hall.
"We belong here and we are going to build it up again," Mast said.
There is no word on just how much it will cost to repair the damage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
