Interview with pastor of Bethel AME Church in Lebanon after church fire

Firefighters had to battle bitter cold, an icy parking lot and flames as the 156-year-old Bethel A.M.E. Church at 111 N. Cherry St. caught fire overnight. The two-alarm fire sparked off at about 4 a.m. Wednesday. With temperatures hovering around 17 degrees, water froze almost instantly on the church parking lot, making a tricky job even more treacherous. Salt trucks were called in to treat the pavement. There have been no reports of injuries, and firefighters have not yet determined a cause for the fire. This historic church was established in 1858 when just six members gathered to worship, and the building itself was dedicated in 1861.