Recently, a fire that a parishioner believes was started on purpose destroyed the Abundant Life Church. As a result of the severity of the blaze, fourteen different agencies responded to the scene.
Church Fire
Fox2Now reported that on Monday, Jun 12, before 4:55 in the morning, the Warrenton Fire Protection District was notified that smoke was coming from the Abundant Life Church, which is located off the Northwest Service Road and just west of State Route W. At 5:05 in the morning, the firefighters reportedly arrived at the location and spotted smokes and a glow arising from within the building. However, firefighters could not enter a place of worship at different times due to the intense heat and flames. A few minutes later, the chapel was engulfed in flames, and the roof collapsed shortly after the firefighters left the building again.
As per MSN, firefighters utilized an infrared scanner to establish that the church was empty during the blaze. This was accomplished by getting into the building through a back entrance and ascending a stairwell after leaving the building. Based on a press release issued by the Warrenton Fire Protection District, firefighters had to leave the building many times because of the intense heat and fire that was present. The spokeswoman also said there were no fire hydrants close to the church, so water pumper fire engines extinguished the fire. Moreover, fourteen agencies rushed to the scene in the church where the fire broke out. These organizations are Fire Protection District from Warrenton, Wright City, Marthasville, Lincoln County, New Melle, Wentzville, Jonesburg-High Hill, Washington, Boles, Pacific, and St. Clair. It also includes the Sheriff's Department, Ambulance District & Training Center, and Joint Communications in Warren County.
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Church May Intentionally Set on Fire
According to the spokeswoman for Warrenton Fire Protection, the structure has been completely destroyed. Officials from the fire department could not provide any further details regarding the cause of the incident. As mentioned, the investigation from the fire department requested residents to stay away from the area as they investigated the incident. Accordingly, Abundant Life parishioner Joe Solomon stated in an interview with 5 On Your Side that the fire happened barely 24 hours after an incident during Sunday worship. A congregation member claimed that an uninvited guest came into the ceremony, and he caused a lot of trouble. Nevertheless, they needed to be made aware of his objectives.
"When he walked out of the church, I followed him out and locked the doors. This intruder came to the pastor's house two days ago at 5 a.m. unannounced. It was the same man that came to the church Sunday morning," he added. On the other hand, the parishioner also asserted that even if the structure has been destroyed, the task of constructing God's kingdom will continue, and they will be a part of that. If they reportedly need to build a tent there, they will still take whatever steps are necessary to spread the gospel. Furthermore, the investigation into the blaze is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, according to an update provided on Tuesday, Jun 13.
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