BRANDON, Fla. — New Testament Church held Easter services on Sunday morning, less than three days after a massive fire destroyed its Fellowship Hall.

  • Almost 100 attend Easter services at church ravaged by fire
  • Fire ripped through Fellowship Hall just 3 days before Easter
  • Pastor says support from community has been incredible
  • RELATED: Fire Tears Through Hall At Brandon Area Church

The flames ignited just before 10 p.m. Thursday at the church on Dew Bloom Road. Although some of the concrete blocks of the building are still standing, nearly all of the hall was lost.

Javier Nava, a church elder, said he helped build the Fellowship Hall by hand 40 years ago.

"It was a nightmare, really," he said Sunday. Nava said he's grateful there was little wind Thursday night, which kept the fire from spreading to the sanctuary only a few yards away.

On Sunday morning, nearly 100 members of the church family packed into the sanctuary to hear from Pastor Kevin Wells.

Wells said they're waiting to hear from both the Fire Marshal and insurance company before they can make any formal plans to build a new structure.

He says the outpouring of support from the nearby community has been incredible.

"Local churches, pastors, members of other community churches (are) just reaching out with love and support and prayers and offering to help us with support with anything we need for rebuilding," he said.

One firefighter was examined at a nearby hospital after responding to the church. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said his injury was not directly related to the fire.

It's unclear what started the fire.