At about 10:15 Thursday morning, the Valentine Volunteer Fire Department responded to the new Berean Church located in northeast Valentine. According to the initial report, there was smoke coming from a heating vent, but flames could not be seen at the time.
According to Pastor Scott McClellen, there was a smoldering fire in a wall. An exhaust pipe that was attached to a temporary furnace produced enough heat to cause the wood behind it to char, and there were no open flames.
The Valentine Volunteer Fire department used a thermal camera to ensure that there were no other hotspots and spent just a short time on scene.
Pastor Scott McLellen extends his gratitude to the firemen who responded quickly and prudently to evaluate and correct the situation.
It appears that there will be no interruptions in services at the church, as Pastor Scott says that as of right now, “all is well”.