Jul 5, 2009 12:22 pm US/Eastern
Bethel AME Church Services Held After Steeple Fire
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Parishioners from Baltimore City's Bethel AME Church are forced to hold services elsewhere after a fire ripped through part of their church.
CBS
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Firefighters battle church fire. Picture from Damion Olds.
CBS
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The church is one of Baltimore City's oldest churches. Picture from Damion Olds.
CBS
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Heavy smoke was coming from the steeple.
CBS
Parishioners from Baltimore City's Bethel AME Church are forced to hold services elsewhere after a fire ripped through part of their church. Jessica Kartalija reports parishioners say the damage could have been much worse.
The doors at the Bethel AME Church were closed on Sunday, just days after a lightning strike to the steeple caused a fire to spread through part of the church's bell tower.
"The rain and the storm caused it to catch on fire, but the damage is on one side," said Mayor Sheila Dixon, who attends services at Bethel. Bethel is the city's oldest African-American church.
Church officials hope to have the church repaired sometime in the next two or three weeks. In the meantime, church services are being held at Pier 6 Pavilion.
A popular place for concerts became a holy sanctuary.
"Bethel is a lovely church. It's old and it's just nice to see buildings like that, but it's sad to see that it caught on fire," said Howard Green.
The church's pastor, Dr. Frank Reed, gave thanks that no one was killed. His wife, Lady Marlaa, says the fire could have been tragic.
"God showed us great favor. We just came out 30 days of worship and had it been one more day, we could have very well been in the sanctuary at the time the fire broke out," she said.
The church hasn't put a dollar amount on the damage. They're hoping the building will be repaired within the next three weeks.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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