Three alarm fire at church caused by lightening
New Beginnings Baptist Church had just ended its evening service with some basketball and then everyone left for the evening.
About 20 minutes later as a third band of severe thunderstorms moved through Salem, lightening struck the church’s steeple and caused a fire.
The Salem Fire Department responded to a three-alarm fire at the church after 10p and brought the blaze under control in about 90 minutes.
There were no injuries.
Pastor Scott Huffaker said lightening hit the church’s steeple and traveled down the ground wire, catching the side of the building on fire. A neighbor told Huffaker he heard the lightening strike and thought it had initially hit a tree. “He said it just struck and must have just stayed on the steeple for a few seconds and just rumbled and shook the ground.”
Firefighters cut into the second story and portions of the roof to get the fire under control.
Huffaker initially estimated the damage at $20,000 but said it could easily range over $100,000 because of water and smoke damage to the building, located east of Salem on Bata Road.
Kevin Carty, pastor of Westside Baptist Church consoled Huffaker in the parking lot, “I have a church….you have a church. For a week or a year. Whatever it takes.”
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Salem PD helps in arrest of two from Scott County
Thursday morning detectives from the Indiana State Police with assistance of U.S. Postal Inspectors, Federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Agents and officers from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and Salem City Police Department, arrested two individuals from Scott County.
Officers placed Robert E. Lee, 38, from the Bellevue Drive address in Scottsburg, under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Felony. Angela Lee was also placed under arrest and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Felony. Both were incarcerated at the Scott County Jail awaiting their first court appearance.
The investigation began when a tip was given to detectives from the Indiana State Police of an alleged large amount of suspected Methamphetamine being delivered to Scott County. Officers from the various agencies set up surveillance at a residence located on East State Road #56 east of Scottsburg.
Shortly after midnight, officers made contact with a female at the surveilled residence identified as Angela Lee, 35, from Bellevue Drive in Scottsburg.
When they made contact with her they recovered over one pound of suspected Methamphetamine.
Officers then continued the investigation by going to Angela Lee’s residence located on Bellevue Drive in Scottsburg.
At the residence officer’s confronted Angela Lee’s brother, Robert, and seized over $9,000.00 dollars in U. S. Currency and Methamphetamine.
