After a fire decimated a Texas church Friday, first responders were amazed when the only thing that remained upright among the pile of rubble and debris was a charred cross.
The fire leveled Balsora Baptist Church in Bridgeport, leaving the structure unrecognizable and destroying almost everything inside, according to Fox News.
“A devastating loss to our community, but a sight to behold,” the department said on Facebook. “The fire took the structure, but not the cross. A symbol that the building was just that, a building. The Church is the congregation, and where 2 or more gather, there He shall be also.”
Fox also reported that the roof of the structure caved in while firefighters were inside and several of them were treated by EMS services at the scene. Despite their building being destroyed, congregants still gathered to worship on Sunday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“A devastating loss to our community, but a sight to behold,” the department said. “The fire took the structure, but not the cross. A symbol that the building was just that, a building. The Church is the congregation, and where 2 or more gather, there He shall be also.”
Extreme temperatures posed a challenge to the fire crew’s resources, prompting officials to request aid from at least 11 other local and state agencies, the department said. As firefighters battled the blaze, the church roof began to collapse with crews still inside, according to fire officials. Several firefighters were treated by Wise County EMS on the scene.
