070323 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NEW CANEY 2 ALARM FIRE

It was just before 5am as the manager of the Sonic on FM 1485 and I-69 was putting coffee on. She began to smell smoke and started to check the restaurant. When she opened the back door she saw an orange glow from the roof of the First Baptist Church behind the Sonic. She immediately called 911. Within minutes the first trucks from East Montgomery County Fire which is just blocks away arrived on the scene and reported heavy fire through the roof. Montgomery County Sheriff's Office immediately closed FM 1485 to allow a hose to be laid across the road and to the fire. Additional departments were called in as a  second alarm was pulled. Cleveland, Houston, Porter, Spring, South Montgomery County, Caney Creek, Needham, and North Montgomery County all responded. Firefighters fought to keep the blaze in the educational building and keep it from spreading to the main church. With heavy fire in the attic, they had to contend with rooftop air conditioners falling through the roof and the three-phase electrical power running to the building before Entergy could arrive. There were no injuries but the heat and humidity did take its toll on the firefighters. The church, built in the mid-'50s has flooded several times recently due to the development in the area was sold to a family in Shepherd a short time back who were planning a wedding venue. The church was leasing the property from the new owners through August as they planned to be in their new building on Gene Campbell in front of the Porter Mill Subdivision by then. However, the new property, which is within the confines of the Porter Mill Subdivision still awaits HOA approval before construction can be started. There was  minor smoke odor in the main church, The educational building suffered major damage. The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office along with ATF is investigating the cause.