FOUR CORNERS, La. (KLFY) -- A lightning strike ignited a devastating fire that destroyed the historic St. John Baptist Church in Four Corners, Louisiana, on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire broke out around 2:26 p.m., and by the time firefighters arrived, the 164-year-old church was already 50-70% consumed by flames. Despite the rapid response involving over 50 firefighters and 25 fire trucks from multiple parishes, significant water supply issues hampered efforts to save the structure.

"Upon arrival, we found a church about 50-70% engulfed in flames," said Fire Chief Clarence Clark. "It’s a devastating loss to our community—something we never thought we’d see."

Deacon Isaac Jackson, who was inside the church at the time of the strike, recalled hearing a loud boom before someone alerted him the building was on fire.

"The lightning hit and it was a big bang," Jackson said. "Somebody ran up and told me, 'Hey mister, your church is on fire.'"

Senior Pastor David Jones expressed the congregation's determination to rebuild.

"This church is a pillar of the community," said Jones. "We're just hoping God can help us not only restore the church, but even make it better."

The fire response was complicated by water supply issues, which challenged the firefighters' ability to control the blaze effectively. Despite these challenges, no injuries were reported, which was a relief to the community.

Plans are already in motion to rebuild the church on the same property, underscoring the congregation's commitment to maintaining their presence in the community.

The loss of St. John Baptist Church is a significant blow to the Four Corners community, but the congregation remains hopeful and determined to rebuild and continue their mission.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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