WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCIV) -- A neighbor to a Lowcountry church dialed 911 on Friday night after hearing a loud boom and walking outside to find the structure blanketed by smoke and flames.
Officials with the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Department said they received the call at 10:11 p.m. The first fire engine arrived at 10:18 to find the two story wood frame church with heavy black pressurized smoke coming from the roof of the sanctuary.
Several hours later at around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, crews cleared the scene. Officials said that despite efforts, much of Great Swamp Baptist Church was lost.
Great Swamp Baptist Church is located at 3396 Hendersonville Highway. The center section of the historic church was originally constructed in 1880. Officials said while most of the historic structure was lost, firefighters were able to remove bibles, hymnals, sheet music, pictures and plaques.
"The fire quickly spread to the second story roof," said Colleton County Fire-Rescue chief Barry McRoy. "The building, as with any older structure, had been modified over the years. ...The building was not equipped with a sprinkler system and is located in a rural community without fire hydrants."
McRoy said conditions inside the church began to rapidly deteriorate and the building had to be evacuated. Firefighters then staged an exterior attack on the fire.
"A third alarm was issued at 10:45 p.m. and a fourth alarm 19 minutes after that at 11:04 p.m.," McRoy said. "This brought over 80 Colleton firefighters to the scene and 19 of the county's 34 water tenders (tankers) for water supply."
"Crews worked in vain to contain the fire, which rapidly spread throughout the roof and attic of the wood building."
McRoy said the fire took about two hours to get under control. He said firefighters eventually used chain saws to cut collapsed rafters.
Following a preliminary investigation, it is believed the fire was caused by lightning.
No one was in the building when the fire occurred. No one was injured and church members we able to transport several pickup loads of salvaged items to another location for storage.
Fire crews battle flames at Great Swamp Baptist Church. (Viewer Provided)
(Viewer Provided)
