Firefighters were on the scene for just over five hours today for a fire at a church in Washington Township.
Creekside firefighters were called out at 3:56 AM for a report of smoke in the basement of the Harmony Grove Chruch along Five Points Road in Willet. Plumville and Marion Center fire crews were sent out about 15 minutes later. Later on, Indiana, Elderton, Rural Valley, Dayton and the Clymer rapid intervention team came to the scene. Tim Steffish of the Creekside Fire Department said that they had problems getting water to the scene, so tanker turcks from Commodore, Coal Run, Rayburn Township and Kittanning Township fire departments were called in to get water from ponds and hydrants to the scene.
(Photo by Andy Hart)
Steffish said that the church suffered mainly water and smoke damage, and the church was not gutted by the fire. A firefighter from Plumville had slipped down the front steps. That person was not identified by name, but they were taken to Indiana Regional Medical Center, where they have been treated and released.
The cause of the fire is still not known at this time, but state police fire marshals are investigating.
