CLAREMORE, Okla. - A church in Claremore has been destroyed and determined a "total loss" as a result of a fire Thursday.
Claremore firefighters battled the flames at Redeemer Lutheran Church at 220 N. Seminole Ave.
The pastor, Mark Burger, was working inside on his Sunday sermon when he smelled smoke. He said the church's old age could have played a role in the fire.
"I'm just the Pastor but on the far end there is a kitchen and a utility end where the heater is and there is a lot of wiring. You're talking 50's wiring," Pastor Burger said. "So electrical, heating unit, it wasn't a cigarette it wasn't cooking so it had to be something of that nature."
Fire crews said the fire was in the attic but it was too risky to send anyone inside. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
According to the church's website, Redeemer is part of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod with more than 6,000 congregations and 2.5 million members in North America.
The site claims Redeemer has been part of the Claremore community since 1949.
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