The State Fire Marshal's Office responded to a church fire in Ruston on Thursday.
Deputies were on the scene after the Lincoln Parish Fire Department responded to the call at the China Grove Missionary Baptist Church at around 2:00 a.m. That church is located in the 600 block of Mondy Road.
Damage to the church was extensive and is considered a total loss.
SFM investigators say they have narrowed down the area of origin to the attic area of an addition at the back of the church property. At this time, while the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, deputies cannot rule out the possibility of the building’s heating equipment as a contributing factor.
The fire is not considered suspicious but an investigation is ongoing.
