A local church received minor damage after it was accidentally set ablaze.
Wellington Fire Chief John Lloyd said fire crews were called out to a structure fire at Grace Baptist Fellowship Church located at 305 N. Jefferson at 7:06 p.m. Monday evening.
The fire was located in a nursery area in the building inside a baby’s playpen. Luckily, Lloyd said, the fire was contained to the area, keeping damage to a minimum.
The first truck on scene was there within minutes, with six vehicles and 9 firefighters total responding to the call, the fire chief said.
“It burned up the playpen, the carpet and a chair sitting there. The whole complex was filled with smoke and it took us a long time to get it cleared out of there,” Lloyd said. “It’s still going to need a good cleaning and the carpet cut out and they were lucky because the pastor came into the building and found the fire.”
Pastor Bob Nickels said he was fortunate to arrive at the church when he did.
“One of the kids came early to an activity and he was there alone and he had some pocket matches and was playing with the match and dropped it on a baby playpen. So I got there 15 minutes later and the playpen was pretty well burned up and fully engulfed.”
The fire chief said the situation could have been much worse, if Nickels weren’t there to put out the flames.
“It could have just gone on and we wouldn’t have been able to get in there to where it was located,” said Lloyd.
Though no charges are being brought against the teen, Nickels says the family has offered to help restore the damage at the church.
“We’ll just replace the carpet, the baby playpen and a reclining chair is all we will have to replace and do some cleaning and maybe some repainting on the one ceiling and then getting rid of the smoke smell,” Nickels said. “It’s just a minor hitch that we will get through.”
Wellington has seen a number of fires caused by juveniles in the past few months, Lloyd said, with extensive damage caused to the restrooms south of the Armory and a home was destroyed on South Jefferson.
“It’s a pretty common occurrence,” said Lloyd.
The pastor says he’s glad the church was spared more damage and reflected on who might of had the biggest hand in the blaze.
“God’s timing is always just right. Fortunately I was at the right place at the right time and got it out,” Nickels said.
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A local church received minor damage after it was accidentally set ablaze.
Wellington Fire Chief John Lloyd said fire crews were called out to a structure fire at Grace Baptist Fellowship Church located at 305 N. Jefferson at 7:06 p.m. Monday evening.
The fire was located in a nursery area in the building inside a baby’s playpen. Luckily, Lloyd said, the fire was contained to the area, keeping damage to a minimum.
The first truck on scene was there within minutes, with six vehicles and 9 firefighters total responding to the call, the fire chief said.
“It burned up the playpen, the carpet and a chair sitting there. The whole complex was filled with smoke and it took us a long time to get it cleared out of there,” Lloyd said. “It’s still going to need a good cleaning and the carpet cut out and they were lucky because the pastor came into the building and found the fire.”
Pastor Bob Nickels said he was fortunate to arrive at the church when he did.
“One of the kids came early to an activity and he was there alone and he had some pocket matches and was playing with the match and dropped it on a baby playpen. So I got there 15 minutes later and the playpen was pretty well burned up and fully engulfed.”
The fire chief said the situation could have been much worse, if Nickels weren’t there to put out the flames.
“It could have just gone on and we wouldn’t have been able to get in there to where it was located,” said Lloyd.
Though no charges are being brought against the teen, Nickels says the family has offered to help restore the damage at the church.
“We’ll just replace the carpet, the baby playpen and a reclining chair is all we will have to replace and do some cleaning and maybe some repainting on the one ceiling and then getting rid of the smoke smell,” Nickels said. “It’s just a minor hitch that we will get through.”
Wellington has seen a number of fires caused by juveniles in the past few months, Lloyd said, with extensive damage caused to the restrooms south of the Armory and a home was destroyed on South Jefferson.
“It’s a pretty common occurrence,” said Lloyd.
The pastor says he’s glad the church was spared more damage and reflected on who might of had the biggest hand in the blaze.
“God’s timing is always just right. Fortunately I was at the right place at the right time and got it out,” Nickels said.
