LEXINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) — The Lexington Fire Department is investigating a church fire that took place during Saturday’s Barbeque Festival off Main Street.
While enjoying the Lexington Barbeque Festival on Saturday, Kelly Ling received a call she won’t forget.
“I was at the Barbeque festival getting ready to leave, and my pastor’s wife Sherri Murph called and said the building was on fire and told me to hurry up and come over,” Ling said.
Around 2 p.m., Lexington firefighters arrived at the Jesus Comes First Ministries off Main Street to see the back of the church where the food pantry is located engulfed in flames.
“Our freezer got burned. The floors are messed up. Probably canned goods are messed up inside too,” Ling said.
On Monday afternoon, church members surveyed the damage. Outside, electrical wires melted off which cut power to the church.
Pastor Eric Murph’s daughter Crissy Little said the pantry that serves several families in Lexington is uninhabitable right now.
Thankfully, North Lexington Baptist Church stepped in to help store food.
“They also have a food pantry, so they were willing to allow us to store our meat there so we wouldn’t lose all of it,” Little said.
As they continue to serve the less fortunate in Davidson County, Little said they plan to rebuild their food pantry.
Though the pantry is gone, Little said with the help of North Lexington Baptist Church, they’ll continue offering food pick up’s at the front of this church on Thursdays and Fridays at 5 p.m.
The Lexington Fire Marshal’s office is still investigating the cause of the fire. No one was hurt.
The church has set up a GoFundMe.
