BRIDGEPORT, Texas (WXIN) – It stood tall among the smoking debris surrounding it.
A cross was all that remained of Balsora Baptist Church in Bridgeport, Texas, after a fire swept through the building Friday, leading to a response from a dozen area agencies.
The Boonesville-Balsora Volunteer Fire Department described the church fire as a “devastating loss” to the community but noted that the cross was a “sight to behold.”
“A symbol that the building was just that, a building. The Church is the congregation, and where 2 or more gather, there he shall be also,” the department wrote in a Facebook post, alluding to Matthew 18:20.
The roof began to collapse while firefighters were still inside, and several firefighters were treated at the scene. Extreme temperatures taxed resources and available manpower, the department said.
There were no other injuries reported, according to the fire department, and no one was inside when crews entered the church.
Photo via Lake Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook
The Facebook post featured an image taken by the Lake Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department of the cross standing among the destroyed remnants of the church building.
“The cross reminds us all to stand tall!” the Lake Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department wrote on its page. “It remains standing in all of its glory, while its background is nothing but ash and debris. Simple reminder how precious life is and how quickly it can turn.”
The fire didn’t stop the congregation from worshipping over the weekend. The church gathered for prayer Sunday morning.
Investigators said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.