HAMLET – Sirens and lights from emergency crews drew several residents out into the frigid weather in Hamlet Friday night as flames flickered inside First United Methodist Church, a long-standing staple in the community.
According to a source close to the Richmond Observer, Richmond County Emergency Services received a call around 7:05 p.m. from a neighboring bystander reporting a potential fire at First United Methodist Church, located at 300 Charlotte Street.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has not released a cause of the fire at the time of this publication. There were also no reports of injuries or anyone being inside the church at the time of the fire.
On arrival, members of the Hamlet Fire Department discovered that an area inside the church’s sanctuary near a stained-glass window was on fire and burning near a heating device.
First responders were able to access the window, which is located on the High Street side of the sanctuary.
The RO had several members present at the fire, as several vehicles from HFD lined the snow-covered intersection in front of the church. Assisting HFD on the call was Rockingham Fire Department, which brought its ladder truck, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
“We were able to get a quick knock down on a fire that could have caused trouble quickly,” reported HFD Captain Trey Goodwin.
Despite the quick response by first responders, Goodwin noted that flames aren’t the only cause for damage.
“Even with (our) quick attack, there was plenty of smoke in the structure,” Goodwin said.
Crews were on scene removing lingering smoke with high-pressure fans over three hours after the initial call.
