Crossway Community Church in Middlesex Township damaged by fire
MIDDLESEX TWP — Quality construction was credited with helping to prevent a Thursday, June 20, morning fire at Crossway Community Church from causing more damage than it did.
The fire at the church on Davis Road was reported at 7:19 a.m. and three alarms were sent to fire departments to ensure enough firefighters were on hand to put out the fire, said Greg Stegman, assistant chief of the Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company.
“We had a little luck with the construction of the building itself,” Stegman said.
He said a fire wall stopped the fire from spreading from one section of the church to another.
No one was in the church when the fire started and no one was injured, but the effect of the high outdoor temperature on firefighters was a concern, he said.
Firefighters brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes. Stegman said the cause of the fire was not known, and the state police fire marshal would be contacted.
An air conditioning unit outside of the church’s children’s wing might have overheated and started the fire, said Paul Bojanac, the church’s men’s ministry leader and maintenance director.
The air conditioner has been running a lot lately due to the hot weather, Bojanac said.
He said the fire wall prevented the fire from spreading from the children’s wing to the sanctuary.
“Ultimately, we can fix this,” Bojanac said.
He said he is thankful that no one was in the building when the fire started. He said services will not be held this Sunday.
The Adams Area Fire District and volunteer fire departments from Penn Township, Evans City and Cranberry Township responded from Butler County, along with the Richland Township, West Deer Township and Marshall Township volunteer fire departments from Allegheny County.
