Norfolk church consumed by flames is condemned

NORFOLK

Milton James had been attending the Church of God and True Holiness off and on for about four years. He liked the church's message and the 100-member congregation. It felt like a family.

That family suffered Friday evening when the church burned so badly that the structure had to be condemned.

No one was injured at the facility at 1020 Barney St.

James, who lives in a house in front of the church, said he was lying on his couch around 3 p.m. when he heard sirens. He looked outside and saw flames.

"The whole top of the church was on fire," he said. "It was blazing."

Capt. Mike Hicks, a spokesman for Norfolk Fire-Rescue, said smoke and flames were coming from the church when units arrived. He said the fire started under the floor in the church's kitchen area.

He said men hired by the church leader to replace copper pipes stolen about two weeks ago accidentally started the fire in the crawl space under the kitchen.

The heat from the fire damaged two houses when flames melted vinyl siding.

The Norfolk Church of God and True Holiness was one of 20 locations in the United States and Canada, according to the church's website. The church is based in Cleveland.

The local church's leader, Raymond Worrell Sr., could not be reached for comment Friday night.