Firefighters from Wayne City and Cisne joined forces Wednesday afternoon to battle a massive fire that destroyed the historic Methodist Church in Sandoval. Both departments responded as part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Task Force, bringing tanker trucks to assist with critical water supply operations.
The blaze broke out at the wood-frame church at 101 East Missouri Street. Strong winds, with gusts reaching up to 50 miles per hour, quickly fueled the flames and created hazardous conditions for firefighters attempting to control the fire.
Due to the large emergency response, U.S. Route 50 was closed for several hours as crews worked to contain the blaze. Despite their best efforts, the wind-driven fire spread rapidly, eventually consuming the entire church building, which burned to the ground.
The official cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, witnesses at the scene reported that high winds may have toppled a utility pole, causing it to fall across the rear of the church and ignite the structure.
No injuries were reported, but the loss of the historic church is being deeply felt by the Sandoval community.