WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Take a ride down Washington Boulevard in Williamsport, and you'll find smoke and water damage in front of the Calvary Baptist Church. Williamsport Bureau of Fire Chief Sam Aungst says fire crews were responding to another call in the area around 8 Wednesday night when they noticed smoke coming from the building. Officials believe the flames started in the basement and then spread. A neighbor tells us she looked outside when she heard noises.
"It was really unbelievable what was going on, and then it was like they just, they had a hard time putting it out, it just didn't seem to want to go out, they get it knocked down, and then smoke could come up again, start all over again," said Dora Pontarelli, Williamsport.
Ken Wagner-Pizza is a pastor at Trinity Episcopal Church in Williamsport heard about the fire and stopped by to see if anyone at the Calvary Baptist Church could use help. Wagner-Pizza says he is saddened to hear about the fire since churches are more than just a building.
"To support ministries that have changed over the years, and the buildings are just there to support the ministries of the people, and people change over the years, but the people keep on doing ministries for those that live in our local community and throughout Lycoming County," said Ken Wagner-Pizza pastor, Trinity Episcopal Church.
The church was empty when the fire started, a close call as churchgoers just finished up their weekly Bible study a few minutes prior.
"We were here, group of us, and we were here for Bible study, and when we left, everything seemed to be fine. We were the last ones between the pastor's wife and three others, I mean myself, and two other ones," said Sally Leet, Williamsport.
Jeanne Leet, a member of the Calvary Baptist Church, says she's extremely thankful the weekly Bible study ended when it did.
"And sharing prayer requests and things like that, and it seemed to go a little faster last night, and now I know why because otherwise, we would have been right in the middle of it," said Jeanne Leet, Williamsport.
State police are investigating the cause of the fire.