A devastating fire engulfed and destroyed Grace St. John's Anglican Lutheran Church early Thursday morning (March 13), leaving the building a total loss.
At 4:10 a.m., Carman Dufferin Fire Department was dispatched to reports of a structure fire. Deputy Fire Chief Joey McElroy described the urgency of the response.
“We arrived to find heavy fire pushing out the front door, with about 75% of the interior already engulfed,” he said. “We started with a defensive attack, but the front floor had collapsed, so we had to adjust our approach.”
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Firefighters worked for eight hours to fully extinguish the flames, making careful entry into the basement and sanctuary where parts of the floor were still intact.
With houses close to the burning church, firefighters remained vigilant to prevent the flames from spreading. “We had some concerns, but we did all the right things at the right times to contain it,” McElroy assured.
A church lost, a community affected
The church, built in 1965, held significant meaning for the local community. “There were church members on scene, and you could see the loss on their faces,” McElroy noted. “In a small town, losing a church impacts everyone.”
The Office of the Fire Commissioner is investigating the cause of the fire. “We have some ideas, but nothing confirmed yet,” McElroy said.
Church shares message with community
PembinaValleyOnline reached out to the church after the fire and received the following statement:
"The congregation and community is shocked and saddened by the fire. We are thankful for the numerous messages of support and offers of space to hold our Worship services and meetings in the meantime. Although we feel lost, we keep reminding ourselves that the church is not the building, but the people, and we will continue to have a presence as Grace-St. John's here in Carman. As a congregation, we would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the neighbor who called 911, the first responders who arrived quickly on the scene and worked many hours to extinguish the fire and for the many from the community who have offered up space for us to worship and meet as a congregation."
A message to the public
McElroy also urged residents to remain cautious around emergency scenes. “Luckily, no one drove over our fire hoses, but we reminded the public to stay aware and take alternate routes.”
As the town of Carman comes to terms with the loss, the community will wait for answers while rallying together in support of those affected.