s cars slowed to pass through an immense wall of smoke that at times blocked Highway 371, the looks on their faces summed up the scene.
Disbelief and shock were apparent as people saw firefighters attacking a massive blaze at the nearly completed Grace United Methodist Church south of Pequot Lakes on Monday.
Assistant Pequot Lakes Fire Chief Mike Lovern said today the fire, which was reported shortly before 3 p.m., started in the carport on the west side of the building. It is believed a propane heater malfunctioned in some way, igniting the inside of the carport, and then spread rapidly around the education wing on the northwest side of the building.
A lone firefighter sprays water on the charred wall of the nearly completed Grace United Methodist Church south of Pequot Lakes Monday afternoon. The fire started in the construction area at the carport entrance to the church..
Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Dan Gottsch reported today that one Pequot Lakes firefighter, Bob Peterson, suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center for treatment. His condition was not immediately available today.
The 10,000-square-foot structure had been constructed in a "Y" configuration with three separate wings for worship, education and fellowship. The wings joined at a central hexagonal narthex with the carport extending to the west.
Lovern said the fire caused extensive damage to the carport and northwest wing of the church, which was to be used for education, but that with the exception of water and smoke damage, the rest of the building was relatively untouched by the fire.
A longtime member of Grace United Methodist church, Gilroy Arvig, watches the church, which was under construction, burn Monday.
Longtime church member Gilroy Arvig said he received a call about the fire soon after it was reported and he rushed to the site to witness the event. Arvig has been compiling pictures of the church's construction for the church archives.
"There were a lot of flames when I first got here," he said. "I feel really bad, everyone had gotten behind this, and they were really enthusiastic."
Arvig said ground was broken on the project this spring with completion expected in late February to early March.
"I was just here Saturday night laying speaker cable and phone lines," Arvig said. "And after church on Sunday there was a meeting to discuss the project, and everyone was really beginning to get excited."
Lovern said firefighters from Pequot Lakes, Nisswa and Pine River were on the scene of the fire for roughly four hours.
The Rev. Dan Doughty was unavailable for comment today.
