UPDATE: Youth group inside Newport church escaped fire due to quick-thinking from passerby

UPDATE (WNCT) – Officials in Newport provided new information about a large fire at Community Baptist Church Friday evening.

On Saturday morning, the Newport Fire Department said crews responded to the church around 6 p.m. Friday after receiving a call about a vehicle fire in the parking lot.  The fire then spread to the church building, according to a post from NFD on Facebook.

A youth group meeting inside the church were alerted to the fire by a passerby and were able to leave the building safely, according to fire officials.

“The Town of Newport Fire Department would like to express our gratitude to every single one of the 70 firefighters from 17 departments who responded to help- from Down East to Swansboro, from Pine Knoll Shores into Craven County, and everywhere in between,” the post stated.

No injuries were reported.

ORIGINAL STORY:

NEWPORT, N.C. (WNCT) — Firefighters responded to a church fire at Community Baptist Church in Newport Friday night.

It happened around 7 p.m., and a county-wide man power alarm was sounded. Crews fought the flames for two hours before being released from the scene.

Traffic was backed up and detoured as the highway was shut down in the Westbound lanes. It is unclear at this time if there are any injuries or what caused the fire.

This is a developing story. WNCT will update you as more information becomes available.

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