10:00am Friday 26th December 2008
A church was badly damaged when a battery charger used to power its nativity scene caught fire.
More than 30 firemen spent over two hours battling the blaze at Hollington Methodist Church, St Leonards early today.
But fire chiefs said the fact that the church had a smoke alarm was a “blessing in disguise” which saved it from being gutted.
The church building in Old Church Road, St Leonards, was full of thick smoke when fire crews arrived on scene just after 3am.
They were alerted by a local resident who said he could smell smoke and heard an alarm which he thought was at nearby Hollington Junior School.
Fire engines from The Ridge and Bohemia Road stations in Hastings at first went to the school.
They found no signs of fire there but spotted smoke coming from the roof of the neighbouring church.
Officers wearing breathing equipment forced their way into the building but at first thick smoke prevented them finding the seat of the blaze.
The church warden, who lives nearby, arrived a few minutes later having heard what was happening.
She told fire officers there was a kitchen in the roof space where the fire might have started.
Hastings fire station watch manager Colin Doherty said: “It took some time to locate the fire because of the smoke.
“Crews went up to the roof space and we asked for more appliances to be sent from Bexhill and Battle.
“Because of the build-up of heat we had to withdraw and used foam to knock the fire down from outside.”
The church hall had been last used for a service at 11am on Christmas Day but it is not known how much it will cost or how long it will take to repair the damage.
Mr Doherty added: “The cause of the fire is still under investigation but we think it may have been started by a faulty battery charger.
“It was being used to recharge the battery which powers the nativity scene in the main hall.
“It appears to have caught fire and burnt its way through the wooden floor.
“The fact that the church had a smoke detector and alarm is a blessing in disguise.
“That is what the gentleman who called us heard and if it had not been there things could have been a lot worse and the church could have lost its roof.”
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