AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – Fire officials are trying to find out what sparked a church fire in Aiken County.
Aiken County Emergency Dispatch alerted area first responders of a church fire Sunday evening, June 8th, at Susan Union Baptist Church located off of Brown Hill Road in the Beech Island and Jackson area.
Crews were back on scene Monday morning, June 9th, after the fire reignited, according to Aiken County Dispatch.
The church has stood at that location since 1896. Though the church no longer held weekly services, members regularly met there for special services.
WJBF spoke to the Pastor, Abraham Smith, Jr., in May 2024 when Pastor Smith discovered the church had recently been broken into and vandalized. Pews were knocked over, windows broken out, and Bibles thrown about the room. A local historian said at the time it was not the first time the church had been the subject of vandalism.
