The Rev. K.R. White said a prayer when one of his deacons called to say that a fire had broken out Wednesday afternoon at the northeast Houston church he leads.
“Oh Lord, I hope it doesn’t all burn down,” White later recalled saying as Houston firefighters doused the last remnants of the flames that gutted one of the buildings at Blessed Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3741 Colvin.
A crew working on the air conditioners called 911 about 2:45 p.m. when they spotted smoke drifting from the rooftop of the fellowship hall adjacent to the main worship building.
When firefighters arrived, the fire was already venting through the roof, said Assistant Fire Chief Karen DuPont with the Houston Fire Department.
The firefighters moved into the burning building but were ordered to evacuate as the flames grew out of control, HFD officials said.
With the Wednesday afternoon heat index topping 110 degrees, HFD officials were forced to call in additional firefighters so the crews could rotate.
“This is the hottest part of the day to be out on this job,” DuPont said. “You’ve got maybe 10 to 15 minutes tops before you really need to get out.”
The firefighters battled flames for about 40 minutes before finally bringing it under control.
The fire ripped apart the roof, leaving in its wake a charred shell of a building where the congregation’s offices, a kitchen and a library were located.
“Even though it’s just a building, it holds a lot of memories for us. It’s a sad occasion for us,” said Christene Archie, whose grandfather, the Rev. J.E. Green, founded the church in 1950.
The library held several photographs documenting the congregation’s early history, including the moment when Rev. Green signed the note for the new church and the ground breaking.
“Nobody got hurt. Everybody is safe,” Archie said. “We thank God for that.”
‘Going to have an impact’
Firefighters managed to stop the advancing flames from reaching the main worship hall, it did sustain smoke and water damage.
“It’s going to have an impact not only here but throughout this community and this city,” said White, who has been pastor there since 2005.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
White said they were waiting for an electrician to check the burned building because the power had been out for about a week. He said the church has fire insurance.
“We’re going to pray and just believe that God is going to guide us,” he said.
