Old church on Sixth and Laurel burns down, ruled total loss

A longstanding vacant church building on Sixth Avenue and Laurel Street has been ruled a total loss following a Sunday evening fire.

Heavy flames and smoke engulfed the building previously occupied by Bethlehem Full Gospel Church when Pine Bluff fire crews were called to the scene at 507 W. Sixth Ave. at 4:17 p.m. Sunday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to a report from Fire Chief Shauwn Howell.

The fire and smoke were coming from the rear of the building, it was reported. Crews were still extinguishing any fires as of 7:45 p.m., at which time the damage to the structure was visible.

There were no injuries or fatalities. Seventeen firefighters from six fire companies responded.

“A big thank-you to everybody who responded,” Howell said. “There were a lot of people who chipped in.”

According to property records, the building was deeded to Victory Baptist Church in 1910. Bethlehem Full Gospel Church purchased the building for an estimated $200,000 and received the deed on Nov. 29, 1989.

It’s believed more churches have operated in the building. No reappraisal value dating back to 2015 was listed.

Michael Schwarz of Oklahoma City is producing a YouTube docuseries about Pine Bluff through the Abandoned Atlas Foundation, the first episode of which was released Friday. (The series is labeled “Pine Bluff, AR Docuseries.”) Schwarz said he discovered license plates and business cards linked to seven different names of churches that may have operated in the building.

“I have a fascination of historic buildings. I don’t know why, but that church was actually my favorite abandoned building,” Schwarz said. “I was doing some research on it.”

Schwarz added he found it interesting that the church burned down two days after the episode released. He said a group came in to board up the building shortly after he had released scenes from it for the trailer, which was released four months ago.

The Emergency Ambulance Services Inc. building at 514 W. Fifth Ave. sustained minor damage from the fire, Howell confirmed. Bricks falling from the burning church damaged the EASI roof, and the EASI building temporarily lost power, but the damage was not enough to stop the service from operation, he said.