Buckingham church loses everything in fire, congregation vows to rebuild

BUCKINGHAM, Fla. (WINK) — A church that has been part of the Buckingham community for decades is facing a total loss after a fire ripped through the building Friday night.

The sanctuary at Buckingham Presbyterian Church was engulfed in flames, and investigators are now trying to figure out what started it. 

"I'm on Buckingham and the church is on fire. The whole entire church is in flames," a caller said in one of the 911 calls that sent firefighters racing to the scene Friday night.

READ MORE: Second-alarm fire tears through Tice church on Buckingham Road

"I was in shock, in disbelief," said Vicki McWhorter, clerk of session at Buckingham Presbyterian Church.

That was the reality McWhorter was facing Friday night. The church she's called home for nearly four decades was engulfed in bright orange flames.

Friday night, she couldn't even get close.

"We got as far as Orange River and Buckingham Road, where the traffic light is, and they wouldn't let us go any further. They wouldn't let people from the other side come in. It was too dangerous, just the fumes, let alone the fire," McWhorter said.

Firefighters say the fire was growing in intensity when they arrived, prompting a second alarm. Six fire departments responded to the scene.

"The sanctuary, there's nothing there. The organs, there's no trace of it. There's no trace of the piano, the baptismal, the pulpit. There's no sign of anything," McWhorter said.

Severe thunderstorms moved through the area before the fire. "There was a lightning strike earlier, and I'm pretty sure it was started by that," a caller said in a 911 call.

The Tice fire chief says lightning is being heavily considered as a possible cause, but forensic evidence is still needed. While the building may be gone, McWhorter says the church isn't.

"It's a building. It's not the congregation. It's the building, and we are a strong, small congregation, and we'll get through it," McWhorter said.

McWhorter says the congregation is asking for prayers as they figure out what comes next. Investigators are still working to determine exactly what sparked the fire.

BUCKINGHAM, Fla. (WINK)—A church that has been part of the Buckingham community for decades is facing a total loss after a fire ripped through the building Friday night.

The sanctuary at Buckingham Presbyterian Church was engulfed in flames, and investigators are now trying to figure out what started it. 

"I'm on Buckingham and the church is on fire. The whole entire church is in flames," a caller said in one of the 911 calls that sent firefighters racing to the scene Friday night.

"I was in shock, in disbelief," said Vicki McWhorter, clerk of session at Buckingham Presbyterian Church.

That was the reality McWhorter was facing Friday night. The church she's called home for nearly four decades was engulfed in bright orange flames.

Friday night, she couldn't even get close.

"We got as far as Orange River and Buckingham Road, where the traffic light is, and they wouldn't let us go any further. They wouldn't let people from the other side come any. It was too dangerous, just the fumes, let alone the fire," McWhorter said.

Firefighters say the fire was growing in intensity when they arrived, prompting a second alarm. Six fire departments responded to the scene.

"The sanctuary, there's nothing there. The organs, there's no trace of it. There's no trace of the piano, the baptismal, the pulpit. There's no sign of anything," McWhorter said.

Severe thunderstorms moved through the area before the fire. "There was a lightning strike earlier and I'm pretty sure it was started by that," a caller said in a 911 call.

The Tice fire chief says lightning is being heavily considered as a possible cause, but forensic evidence is still needed. While the building may be gone, McWhorter says the church isn't.

"It's a building. It's not the congregation. It's the building, and we are a strong, small congregation, and we'll get through it," McWhorter said.

McWhorter says the congregation is asking for prayers as they figure out what comes next. Investigators are still working to determine exactly what sparked the fire.