FIRE DOESN'T RUIN POPLAR BLUFF CHURCH'S SPIRIT

POPLAR BLUFF -- Despite a fire at their church late Saturday evening, it was business as usual for members of Brown Chapel AME Church Sunday morning.

"We had services in the back (portion of the church)," explained church Trustee Freda Ballard. "We've never had anything disrupt our services. (The fire) did not stop us, we can't let the devil interrupt God's church."

Built in 1885 as the original First Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff, services have been held in the structure for more than 100 years. The AME congregation purchased the building in about 1970, she said.

About 20 members of the church's 72 attended Sunday's services. Ballard said many of the children were not in attendance because there were no Sunday school classes held.

"Some (members) showed up and they didn't know about the fire," she explained.

Although the church's sanctuary, upstairs classroom, ladies lounge and part of the pastor's office were damaged by the fire, Ballard said, "we were blessed. We give the Lord praises because He allowed no one to be hurt and we still have our building."

It could have been worse, Ballard explained. "(The fire) was found early or the whole roof would have been off. We were blessed."

Ballard said everyone was especially blessed because an hour before the fire, the church was filled for a special singing. Ballard estimates there was 100 or more people in attendance.

"Had the church been filled with people (when the fire was discovered) it would have been panic," she explained.

As it was, the special service had ended and members were entertaining the Chapman singers in the kitchen area of the church.

"After the concert, members fed the family (in the kitchen)," she said. One of the members, Priscilla McCellon, was turning out the lights in the lounge when she heard a crackling noise.

"She opened the door to the stairway and saw smoke and flames," Ballard explained. "The Lord knew what was gonna happen. It was found after the service when we were turning the lights out."

When the fire department responded at 8:32 p.m., members gathered in the parking lot. Ballard said the church had just had a new roof put on and the outside painted.

"We were to get estimates for repairs on the inside," including painting, new carpet, lift elevator and lowering of the choir loft, Ballard explained. "The remodeling was to be today (Monday)."

Brown Chapel does have full-coverage insurance, Ballard said. "It should cover (the repairs), we hope. We'll just have to wait for the insurance adjustor to tell us what to do."

Ballard explained the insurance adjustor said the building "itself is sound." The interior walls and hallway are damaged and ceiling sustained water damage.

Poplar Bluff Fire Investigator Gary Pride said the fire's area of origin was the stairway from the choir room (ladies lounge) to a storage room on the second floor.

"The specific point of origin is at or just above the floor level just inside the doorway at the bottom of the steps," Pride explained.

Any accidental electrical cause has been eliminated in this fire, Pride said. Based on the fire's char pattern there was only one electrical wire running to this location.

"I traced the wire down and it's not in electrical use," Pride explained. "The wire has not been used for 20-25 years. Without the possibility of an energized electrical wire there, it wouldn't burn anything down."

This fire was the "direct result of a human act," Pride explained. "If the act was intentional is the big question. Arson or not, the fire was caused by a human act. It can be intentional or unintentional."

Pride described an intentional act as someone opening the door where the choir robes hung and "intentionally causing a fire to happen and damage the church."

Two examples of unintentional human acts include someone going into this stairway and because of careless smoking accidentally causing a fire they were not aware of, Pride explained. The second unintentional human act would be that of children playing in the stairway with matches or lighters.

"I have learned through my investigation its one of these two occurrences that caused the fire to happen," he said.

Through his investigation, Pride has been talking with people and "trying to ascertain any information I can."

Both Pride and church members are hoping someone went into the stairway to smoke because they didn't want anyone to see them smoking. If that is the case, Pride encourages the person to step forward.

"They won't be in trouble," Pride said. "It was accidental."

If that happens, it will "ease the minds" of church members knowing someone didn't "want to burn the church down," he said.

To determine what happened Saturday night, Pride is trying to interview as many people who were there. "Someone may have seen someone enter the stairway Saturday evening. That person may have caused this to happen and they may not come forward."

If anyone in attendance saw someone enter the stairway Saturday, Pride encourages them to "get with me."

Pride is hoping the investigation will lead to an accidental cause. However, "should it turn out not to be that and it's discovered that a individual intentionally caused the fire to happen and damage the church, I can promise I'll do everything I can do to see that person brought to justice."

Not only would it be a criminal act, but "intentionally trying to burn down a church with people inside is a blatant disregard for society and religion as a whole and that person will be prosecuted to the limits of the law," Pride explained.

Every stone that is turned over will be looked under to try to find information on what happened here, Pride said. "The church and myself hope it is an unintentional careless act rather than criminal.

"But if it's criminal, (whoever did it) better look out over their shoulder because I'm looking for him or her."

Firefighters remain on the scene for more than three hours Saturday. "The firemen had to aggressively fight the fire in order to stop it," Pride said.

The acting shift commander and crew did a good job of locating the fire, explained Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Randy Hastings. They were faced with a lot of smoke in determining the location.

"We were fortunate they got it out as quick," Hastings said. "With the historical value of the church, it would have been a lose to the community."