Vacant East Texas Church Building Destroyed by Fire

BEN WHEELER — An abandoned church in Ben Wheeler was destroyed after a late-night fire on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, the church was known as Bethlehem CME and was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived just after 10:30 p.m. There were no walls left standing and the building was nearly consumed. Witnesses said that the church had not been in use for some time. There were no utilities connected to the structure. There were no signs that the building was targeted because it was a church or due to its religious affiliation.