An overnight fire gutted the First Pentecostal Church of Buford. Firefighters responded to the blaze on East Moreno Street shortly before midnight Friday.
The site on the historic town square is the former home of Buford First Baptist Church.
Images from the scene show flames engulfing the church sanctuary as firefighters used ladder trucks to try to contain the blaze.
Church members tried to put it out
According to the Gwinnett County Fire Department, two young male church members observed smoke pouring from the building. They tried to put out the fire with fire extinguishers. Unable to extinguish the flames, they escaped the burning building and, at 10:02 p.m., called 911.
Firefighters arrived within minutes, but the fire spread quickly through the local landmark.
“As crews began their fire attack, conditions rapidly changed, including a sudden intensity of heat and fire growth,” the fire department said in a press release. “Recognizing the dangerous conditions, fire crews withdrew from interior operations and exited the structure.”
As the fire raged, the sanctuary’s roof collapsed, preventing firefighters from disconnecting the natural gas service. They brought the fire under control at 2:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29.
It was a difficult loss for members of the church and community.
“This is my church, our church. Our home. We are so devastated,” commented Cara Jackson on social media.
Fire investigators at the scene could not rule out an electrical source as the cause of the fire. They did not suspect criminal activity, a press release from the fire department said.
