A rural Yazoo County church was destroyed by a fire during Sunday’s early morning hours with the cause remaining under investigation.
It took close to two hours for volunteer firefighters to contain the fire at Oil City Baptist Church on Anding Oil City Road. No injuries were reported, according to Chief Durwood Pettis, with the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department.
Pettis said the report of the fire was received around 6:20 a.m.
“Dover Volunteer Fire Department was the first to arrive on the scene,” Pettis said. “Other responding units included Tri-Community, Bentonia and District 3 volunteer fire departments. It was truly a combined effort, and everything went extremely well under the circumstances.”
Pettis said a neighboring house was damaged by the church’s fire, but there were no injuries and the home was able to be saved from further damage.
“The heat from the church fire got so bad that it began to melt the siding on the neighboring house,” Pettis said. “But we were able to put that fire out immediately.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation with the state fire marshal’s office assisting.
The rural church has a long history within the Oil City community and within Yazoo County’s history as well.
In an article from June of 1942 in The Herald, it was reported that a prayer meeting was held at the church for the first time in the new building.
“A prayer meeting was held in the Oil City Baptist Church Wednesday night,” the 1942 article reads. “This was the first church service held in the new church. All were delighted at the attendance.”
A month later in July 1942, it was reported that Rev. Herbert Herrington was the pastor. A few months later in October of that year, the church was the host site of the Yazoo County Associational Training Union. Numerous articles of weddings, baby showers and celebrations at the church were published over the years. Presents were distributed at the church’s annual Christmas tree lightings. Gospel concerts were often held in tents outside the church. And Rev. J.G. Hood once flown an American flag provided by Congressman Thad Cochran during the church’s summer revival.
Although attendance had decreased, like many rural churches, Oil City Baptist Church’s history was a part of Yazoo County’s story. Many are hopeful the church will be rebuilt to continue the next chapters.
