Cause of fire that destroyed South Augusta church revealed

Friday, June 14, 2019

News 12 at 5 o'clock

AUGUSTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) -- The Augusta Fire Department has released a cause for the fire that nearly destroyed a church in South Augusta.

According to fire department spokesman Michael Meyers, the cause of the Windsor Heights Baptist Church fire was electrical in nature.

“It looks as if the point of origin for the fire was the attic," Meyers said in a statement.

Four firefighters were taken to the hospital for heat-related injuries while battling the fire. Meyers says all of them have been released and are doing fine.

With the cause of the fire revealed, Windsor Heights' congregation must now work to find a new place to worship. It appears their prayers have already been answered, however.

When Joann Brassell of New Heights Baptist was told about the fire that destroyed Windsor Heights Baptist on Thursday, she immediately volunteered her church.

"That's the Christian thing to do. I mean, we're all serving the same Lord and why not," she said.

Members of Windsor Heights Baptist will attend New Heights' Sunday morning service this weekend and then have a meeting in the Fellowship Hall to discuss their church's next steps.

Brassell says she is actually familiar with the pastor of Windsor Heights Church, Rev. Billy Lassiter. He attends Sunday night services at New Heights Baptist because Windsor Heights Baptist does not offer Sunday night services of their own.

"He is a wonderful preacher," she said.

Brassell also mentioned that members of the Windsor Heights Baptist Church can attend New Heights services for as long as they need.