by Michael Wilkey

MARKED TREE — Instead of holding a weekly church service Sunday afternoon, Johnny Russell surveyed the debris left by a fire that completely destroyed the building.

Russell, who serves as assistant pastor for Healing Word Worship Center, said parishioners had already moved into the building on Frisco Street when the fire happened.

“We had our first service about a month ago,” Russell said. “(Sunday) would have been our fourth 2:30 p.m. service.”

Three area fire departments — Marked Tree, Trumann and Tyronza — responded to the church fire around 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Scott McMunn of the Marked Tree Fire Department said Sunday the fire also caused water and smoke damage to nearby Scott Furniture.

Tyronza firefighter Greg Griffin was also injured Saturday while attempting to put out the fire. Griffin lost his balance on an adjoining roof and fell about 16 feet.

Tyronza Fire Chief Rodney Harris said Griffin suffered a fracture and was kept overnight at a Jonesboro hospital for observation. He was treated and released Sunday, Harris said.

Firefighters worked most of Saturday to put out the fire. Several firefighters were still at the scene Saturday night in temperatures that were below freezing, using a backhoe and attempting to catch trouble spots in the rubble.

McMunn said fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.

“We don’t have anything yet,” McMunn said. “We may know something this week.”

Fire investigators said Saturday that the fire in the church was likely caused by a flammable oil-based paint on the floors.

Russell said he and the church’s pastor, C.L. Robertson of Jonesboro, were among those who had worked to build the building before the fire occurred.

“The building before was an eyesore,” Russell said. “It changed the complexion of the building. We were thrilled with it and were working for the Lord.”

Russell said the church has about 15 people who attend each Sunday, with an additional five to 10 people performing music inside the church.

Russell said residents in the Poinsett County town of 2,800 were supportive of the church’s efforts.

“We were in real good spirits with the community,” Russell said. “The people at Scott Furniture loaned us their scaffold when we were building. There was a lot of enthusiasm.”

Now the church members are trying to decide what to do next, Russell said.

“We are in a stage of praying now,” Russell said. “We are trying to decide whether to rebuild there or open another place in Marked Tree.”

Russell said the fire destroyed many of the items in the church, including church pews and musical equipment. Nearly $6,500 worth of equipment, including drums, guitars and a musical keyboard, were destroyed, Russell added.

Russell said the church is in need of donations to help replace items that were destroyed.

Anyone interested in helping the church can contact Russell at (870) 243-6381.

Sun staff writer Sarah Morris and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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