ROYSE CITY, Texas — A historic church building in Royse City was engulfed in a fire Tuesday morning, officials say.
Firefighters responded to the First United Methodist Church in the 300 block of N. Josephine Street shortly before 11 a.m. and found heavy fire in the attic, officials say.
"It's hard coming back,” said Pastor Chris Everson. He walked us through the burnt wood. “It is devastating…absolutely devastating,” he said.
Everson knows the church is a great loss, but he said it’s still a blessing.
“Yes we did lose a 120-year-old sanctuary, but we could've lost a whole lot more,” he said.
Everson says the local school district has allowed them to have church service at the high school.
“Everyone that's a part of Rockwall County is going to be there for the community of Royse City,” said McLendon Chisholm Mayor Bryan McNeal.
“It's not a building, it's not a location,” said Everson. “God will help us move through this.”
The Royse City Fire Department requested mutual aid from the Fate Department of Public Safety, Rockwall Fire Department, Rockwall Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Caddo Mills Fire Department, McLendon Chisholm Fire Department, Rockwall County EMS, Royse City Police Department, Royse City Public Works and Rockwall County Road and Bridge.
The fire was contained to the main building and Wesley Hall and the food pantry buildings weren’t impacted by the fire, officials say.
Everson said they will still be able to provide food services to the community.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by Royse City’s Fire Marshal’s Office, but Tanner Dietz of the Royse City Fire Marshal's Office tells WFAA they believe the fire started from a potential lightning strike.
The 120-year-old building that housed the church was built in 1904 on property owned by R.A. McCasland and family, according to a Texas Historical Commission marker.
