Priest Fights Church Fire; Lightning Suspected

   Investigators believe lightning sparked a fire that burned a church building, and a dispatcher tells KFDM News the priest was among the volunteer firefighters who put out the flames.

  The fire was reported at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday and was officially out at 8:15 a.m. in the CCD building at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, according to daytime paramedic Eva Jo Scott with the Sour Lake Volunteer Fire Department. 

  Scott said lightning struck the building near Highway 105 in Sour Lake.

  Father Martin Nelson is the priest at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church.  He's also a member of the Sour Lake Volunteer Fire Department.  Father Nelson was called to the scene and helped fight the fire. 

  School age children attend classes in the basic roots of their faith in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, or CCD building.

  More than 250 families attend the church.  Several parishioners came out to the church Wednesday morning when they heard about the fire.  Father Nelson spoke with them and comforted those who were upset about the fire.

  Hurricane Ike damaged the building and contractors were scheduled to begin repairs today.  Now, it will have to be rebuilt from the ground up.

  Jessica Holloway will have more on the story on KFDM News at 6.