NNFD: Former church catches fire on Orcutt Avenue

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A former church received significant damage after a fire on April 14. The fire also caused damage to a house nearby and left two adults and five dogs displaced.

The call came in just after 4:30 p.m.

Newport News responded to a fire on the corner of Orcutt Avenue and 44th Street, Newport News Fire Department said. On arrival, the crews had heavy fire visible from multiple sides of the building.

The building used to be St. James Fellowship Church of God for several years before the property was put up for sale. This is in the area of Newsom Park.

The building will need to be torn down, the Newport News battalion chief said. Pastor Michael Harris told 10 On Your Side it was built in 1968 by his father. The church hasn’t met in the building for some time cause of a bad roof, the pastor said, and they were trying to sell.

“A lot of people found Christ in this building,” Harris said.

Two residential homes did receive heat damage, one of those homes is now condemned. No injuries have been reported. A fire investigation is currently in progress.

Check with WAVY.com for more updates.

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