Mazomanie Church moves forward after fire

After a fire at a church in Mazomanie forced the building to close, its reverend says they hope to be back in the building as soon as possible.

In the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 11, Revered Denise Cole said she received a call from the sheriff's department that the church was on fire.

The fire department was able to put out the fire, but the steeple and bell tower were badly damaged. Firefighters told Cole the cause of the fire was possibly a lightning strike.

Cole said the congregation will be using another church for worship on Sundays for at least the next five weeks. She also said there's been a massive outpouring of support from local churches offering up their spaces.

On Monday, insurance adjusters came to the church, according to Cole. She said they put a tarp over the bell tower to keep the rain out. Cole called the damage done significant, but they are hoping to be back in the building as soon as possible.