concord church fire

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Staff report
CONCORD ó Federal, state and Concord officials are investigating an early morning fire that destroyed a church off Old Charlotte Road.
The church, Good Shepherd Assembly Church, was one of three in a two-block area in the southwestern section of the city.
Firefighters found the brick church at 286 Office Drive S.W., totally consumed by flames when they responded at 2:25 a.m. Wednesday.
As firefighters were battling the church fire, neighbors reported two other fires within a two block area, according to Jennifer Simpson, public information officer for Concord Fire and Life Safety.
Some firefighters at the church blaze responded to a house fire at 2:37 a.m.
Some two hours later, additional units were dispatched to an outbuilding at 616 Main St. SW. The building was totally engulfed in fire.
Simpson said the fire at the house caused minimal damage.
It took two and a half hours for firefighters to bring the church fire under control.
They remained on the scene late Wednesday as investigators combed the scene.
Agents from the federal Alcohol Tobacco Firearms division and the State Bureau of Investigation joined the Concord Police and city fire investigators on the scene.”The four agencies are working together,” said Simpson. “Everything is still under investigation.”
By late afternoon, crews were working to knock down the charred walls which were ready to collapse. The structure was two stories in the front and three stories at the back.
No estimate of the loss was available.
Approximately 30 firefighters from four engines, two rescue and two ladder units responded to the fires.
Reports indicate the church had as many as 100 members.