Fire Rescue News - EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS SOUTH SEAVILLE CHURCH
DENNIS TWP.--An early morning fire has destroyed a Cape May County church that's been a part of the community for more than 125 years. Church members are now trying to cope and explain how they'll move ahead.
"It's just so sad for everybody." As flames shot through the South Seaville United Methodist Church around......Continue Reading
3:30 Friday morning, it was an almost unbelievable sight for Rebecca Johnston. "It's....very sad," said she said, getting choked up, "one of the hardest things I've ever had to do was watch it."
Johnston was there as fire crews from across the county battled the blaze, which ultimately burned the historic church to the ground. "So many memories, you know," asked the long-time parishioner. Johnston's parents were married in the church, and she and her children were baptized here, making it even harder to see it reduced to rubble. Something many were having trouble wrapping their heads around.
"When I got here as a fire chief, did what I needed to do as a fire chief," said Joseph Gurdgiel, Jr., Chief of the Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department, "then after daybreak, when the parishioners started showing up, that's when it started getting a little bit emotional."
"It just puts your stomach in a knot, "said Reverend Thomas Perry, who's been at the church for a decade, "my wife and I both just started crying, cause we've poured our life into this church."
Throughout the morning, members of the church stopped by to see it for themselves, watching workers demolish what the fire didn't.
Officials say investigators have ruled out arson and a lightning strike as the cause of the fire, and say they believe it was in someway related to the ongoing renovations taking place, which did include electrical work. But as for the exact cause, they say they may never know.
"We all stood in a circle and just prayed," said Johnston, "and thanked the Lord that nobody was hurt." Parishioners say despite losing the building, the church is still strong, and say they have full intentions to rebuild, mainly around the church bell and a small cross that were recovered by firefighters, and are now cherished by those who've lost so much. "It was just like our little ray of hope," she said, cracking a smile.
The congregation is accepting donations for re-building the church, and say any help would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, the reverend says they're hoping to somehow have services at the site this Sunday.
Donations can be sent to:
South Seaville United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 158
South Seaville, NJ 08246
