'We lost everything': Fire destroys church in upstate

An upstate church was burned and destroyed after a fire over the weekend, but its pastor says his mission continues despite the setback. The fire occurred at Harvest of Anderson Church along South Main Street Extension in Anderson County on Saturday morning. On Monday, Pastor Otis Burns was left with nothing but rubble and burned wood. “We lost everything,” he said. “We didn’t lose the church, but we lost the building, and in fact all that was saved was a communion tray and two Bibles.” Burns said investigators believe faulty wiring may have started the fire. The Anderson County Fire Department did not respond to calls or emails Monday seeking an update on the fire investigation. “I want to thank the firefighters and everyone who came out to put out the fire,” Burns said. “It did not spread further. No one was injured, and it did not reach any of our neighbors or their yards.” The pastor said the church's goal is to reach people struggling with homelessness, addiction and other issues. He said the church's location is best suited for this. “We believe that to reach those who really need to be reached and who sometimes fall through the cracks, you have to get to where they are,” Burns said. As the church begins to rebuild, the pastor said the setback won't stop him from helping others. “At least we'll get back to our carport at home and have service. That's where we started, and if that's what we have to do for a season, we'll do it,” he said. Burns said. Burns said the church is working with its insurance company to see how much the building is covered.