Investigators looking into whether lightning sparked Vineland, New Jersey church fire
VINELAND, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Investigators are looking into whether lightning played a role in a church fire in Vineland, New Jersey.
Flames could be seen shooting from the roof of the Voice of Deliverance New Covenant Church at about 10 p.m. Monday.
The fire on East Chestnut Avenue went to four alarms, but no one was injured.
Crews at the scene say the fire quickly spread across the roof, which was left charred.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"Everybody is speculating lightning, but we have the ATF here, state fire marshals, my investigators, and some other insurance investigators. We haven't even started to look through the root cause of the fire," said Luigi Tramontana, Vineland Fire Chief.
More than 70 units were called out to fight the flames, but the fire chief says they had to take a defensive approach because the interior is mostly made of timber and became too unsafe for firefighters to enter the building.
"The major part of the roof is very compromised by the fire so we're trying to get the excavator out here to get the heavy timber out here so we can enter the building safely," said Chief Tramontana.
This is the second time the building has caught fire. Lightning reportedly struck the steeple years ago but no act of Mother Nature has brought it down yet.
Senior Pastor Betty Hawkins says they're committed to rebuilding.
"We know that God is going to pull us through. That's really the foundation of our faith. I don't care what happens, you maintain your faith in God," said Pastor Hawkins.
There is a GoFundMe to raise money to help pay for the rebuild.
