Fire Prevention
An article based on the training course "Arson and Fire Safety" and the Church Security Guide article "Fire Safety in the Church" [1,2,3].
From the Bible –
* A case of arson:
Then the Philistines said, "Who hath done this?" And they answered, "Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion." And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire (Judges 15:6).
* A case of carelessness:
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned (Proverbs 6:27)?
Introduction -
A building fire can be devastating to those who lived, worked, attended school, or worshiped there, even when no one was injured. When a place of worship burns, it affects the community at large, including those of other places of worship. It is of critical importance to prevent church fires.
October 5-11, 2025 is Fire Prevention Week. This is observed on the week in which the Great Chicago Fire started - it burned from October 8 to 10, 1871, destroying much of Chicago, Illinois, including churches. The number of persons killed is estimated to be about 300 [4,5].
The campaign this year is Charge into Fire Safety! It focuses on fire safety with lithium-ion batteries. This is a concern for churches, other places of worship, and schools, since devices with lithium-ion batteries and their chargers are almost everywhere.
In the News -
There are several causes of church fires. Here are a few:
* Serial Arsonist:
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, August 28-September 1, 2025 - Over Labor Day weekend, a homeless person started fires in several places. These included the motel where he was staying, at least three homes, and a church. Thanks to surveillance footage, the suspect was identified and arrested [6].
* Lightning:
Baltimore County, Maryland, June 29, 2025 - During an electrical storm in Baltimore County on a Tuesday afternoon, a historic church was hit by multiple strikes of lightning. This started a damaging fire. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion [7].
* Welder's torch:
Beaumont, Texas, July 25, 2022 - Central Baptist Church in Beaumont was destroyed by a fire. Workmen were repairing the roof when a welder's torch ignited the blaze [8].
* Candles left burning unattended:
Waukesha, Wisconsin, December 4, 2005 - During a funeral in a church, two candles in an Advent wreath were lit, When everyone went downstairs to the fellowship hall for the dinner, they were left burning. No one went up to check the candles. When they burned down to the wreath, it caught fire. That was close to 9:45 pm. The entire sanctuary was ablaze by 11. The steeple fell. Only the education unit was saved, but with water and smoke damage [9].
* Furnace malfunction:
Cummington, Massachusetts, January 17, 2010 - The 170-year-old Congregational Church was burned down on a winter Sunday. The fire was caused by a furnace malfunction [10].
Other Causes -
There are many more causes of church fires, including (but not limited to):
- Electrical -
- Shorts,
- Overloaded circuits,
- Faulty fixtures or devices,
- Mechanical friction,
- Smoking carelessness,
- Flammables placed near heat sources,
- Kitchen causes -
- Unattended stoves, fryers, and ovens,
- Fryers too hot,
- Spillage onto burners,
- Faulty appliances,
- Open-flame usage (besides candles),
- Gas leaks,
- Vehicle fires,
- Fire from neighboring structures,
- And now, the latest technological fire hazard, lithium-ion batteries.
Fireproofing -
The goal of fireproofing a church is both to prevent fires and to hinder (or prevent) their spread.
Fire Prevention:
Just looking at the list tells us that preventing fires requires different kinds of measures. However some are related, so it is not as daunting as the list appears. We'll organize the preventive measures and causes by categories: Electrical, Arson, Lightning, Construction, Open flames, Church equipment and systems, Behavioral, Floor layout and placements, Materials handling, Building maintenance, Vehicles.
Electrical,
Many fire causes are electrical in nature:
- Shorts -
- Electrical shorts are at the top of the list of electrical causes. Current flowing through the short builds up heat the way a heating element does. One common short is worn insulation on electric cords. Check electric cords before plugging them in. It should become a habit, something you automatically do.
- Never run electric cords under rugs and mats. They are more likely to become damaged, and a carpet can be ignited by the heat of a short.
- Loose wires are another common type of short. If a wire nut or a screw holding the end of a wire comes loose, it can allow the short to happen.
- Old wiring with bare wires going through or around insulators is another shorts hazard. If the church is in a very old building - for instance one built before World War II - it should be rewired if it hasn't already. The wiring in any building should be inspected periodically. Rodents often chew through the insulation on wires.
- Overloading - Overloaded electric circuits will become overheated, often enough to start a fire. Fuses and circuit breakers are designed to break the circuit if there is too much current, but do not rely on the breaker to trip before things get hot. Know what the load limit is of a circuit, and know what the amperage is of each device plugged in. A structural solution is to have enough circuits for the equipment in an area of the church and enough outlets on different circuits to reduce the chance of too many things plugged into one. On an older building this may mean re-wiring - a lot less expensive than replacing the building and its contents.
- Faulty Devices - Be aware of the condition of all electric devices being used in the church. Know when to repair or replace.
- Lithium Ion Batteries - This is a current concern. To quote from the National Fire Protection Association, "the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored" [11].
Arson,
Arson prevention is basically crime prevention. Some arson fires are started on the outside, such as at the Dar-ul-Arqam mosque in Escondido, California [12]. Those rarely do much damage. The worst damage is from arsonists setting the fires inside the church. Most of these break in, while some throw incendiaries through windows.
Preventing arson, then, is mostly the same as preventing burglaries. More toward preventing arson and vandalism is cleaning up around the outside of the church to remove objects that can be used to break in or break windows and flammable materials that can be used to help start a fire.
A way to reduce the damage of exterior arson is to make the exterior of the building flame resistant. This also makes the building resistant to wildfires.
Lightning,
This is more common than many want to admit, especially for churches with high roofs and tall steeples. The best defense is enough lightning arrestors that are properly grounded. The grounding wire or cable needs to be heavy enough gauge to carry the current from a large strike and have large enough radius on the bends so that the current can follow it all the way to the ground.
Construction work,
Some types of construction work, interior and exterior, involve materials and tools that are natural fire hazards. The welding torch is only one example [6]. A church fire in Lawrence, Nebraska was started by spontaneous combustion of oily rags [13]. The responsibility here belongs to the workers, but church leaders should keep watch on how they do their job and communicate their concern for fire safety.
Open flames,
Oh boy! Now we may be stepping on toes.
The most commonly used open flames in a church are candles. In some traditions these are essential elements of one or more rituals. When they're not essential, burning candles may be replaced by battery-powered electric candles. When they are used, there are some safety guidelines to follow:
- Do not let children use candles unsupervised. If they do accidentally ignite a fire, an alert adult can put it out quickly.
- Have hand-held fire extinguishers close by when candles are used, especially in a procession or a candlelight service.
- Rehearse pageants and rituals with unlit candles. Stress keeping them away from clothing and other combustibles.
- Be sure all candles are extinguished before leaving the room.
- Properly extinguish and store or dispose of used candles.
Some church events will use fireplaces, fire pits, or bonfires. Follow safety guidelines for these open-flame uses.
Use torches outdoors, and not around combustible mulch.
Church equipment and systems,
Nothing lasts forever, especially much-used equipment.
- Inspect, clean, and maintain heating systems before summer ends, at least before you must turn on the heat.
- Inspect HVAC fans regularly. Clean and lubricate when necessary. Sometimes bearings will need to be replaced. Fires have been caused by fan friction.
- Keep all air circulation systems clean.
- Repair or replace faulty equipment.
Behavioral causes,
This is a matter of education and enforcement. Teach congregational members fire safety behaviors, and remind them tactfully when needed. Some items are:
- For smokers - only smoke in designated areas. Properly dispose of smoking debris.
- The church should have marked smoking materials receptacles in designated smoking areas.
- Do not put combustibles too close to heat sources. This is especially critical with seasonal decorations, such as those made of paper or cloth. Some of the heat sources are lights and heaters.
- Also, do not put foil where it can contact outlets and switches.
- Practice fire safety in the kitchen. Don't leave food unattended on the stove or in the fryer.
- Use caution with space heaters. Do not use unless absolutely necessary. Do not have them too close to furniture, curtains, etc. Do not have them too hot for the space they're in.
- Don't run electric cords under rugs, or across walking places (unless with a tread guard).
- Don't leave devices with lithium ion batteries plugged into chargers when leaving the church.
Floor layout and placements,
Don't put furniture too close to heat sources, especially those with upholstery or with books and/or papers. When building or remodeling, consider safe placement of the intended furnishings.
Materials handling,
Some materials need to be handled carefully to not pose fire dangers. These include flammable liquids, such as gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner, paint remover, oil-based paints, motor oil, etc. The safest way to keep them is in an unattached building. Keep materials that will react with each other separate. Ensure that all containers are leak-proof.
Building maintenance,
Keeping the building in good repair keeps failing segments from compromising electric lines, loose material from falling next to or on heat sources, furnaces from being damaged, gas lines from being broken, etc. Maintenance includes housekeeping. Don't let combustible debris accumulate anywhere in the building or outside.
Vehicles,
Many fires have started in vehicles. Houses have been burned down when the vehicle on fire was in an attached garage. Have parking spaces for motor vehicles a safe distance from the building. Be sure church vehicles are properly maintained. This includes paying attention to recall notices - some of the faults to correct may cause fires.
Fire Containment:
Fires spread more rapidly in large, open spaces.
- Have fire walls and fire-stops in the attic to contain attic fires [14].
- Have walls rated to slow the speed a fire burns through.
- Have fire-resistant doors on all rooms.
- Install fire doors at the ends of hallways and on stairwells. They may be almost inconspicuous when open for events, services, and office hours, but easy to close quickly in case of a fire or when vacating that section of the building. Security hint: have sensors on these doors connected to the entry alarm system. The person locking up and arming the alarms will see an indicator if one of these doors is open and can then go close it.
- Have automatically-activated fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers and Class K kitchen-fire suppressors. These will help contain a fire to its point of origin.
Close all doors when vacating the building (the "last person out" policy). Many fires start when no one is there. If a fire does start and the fire department receives the alarm, the building may be saved.
Training Note -
Church Safety Ministries are encouraged to have all Safety Team members trained and certified through Safety Member Certification. This program has been bolstered with five rebuilt courses. These five training models constitute the core curriculum for certification [15]:
- Safety Member Fundamentals V5
- Violent Intruder Response V5
- De-escalating Disruptive Persons V5
- Protecting the Vulnerable V5
- Use of Force with Andrew Branca V5
Additionally, there are three Standalone Courses [16]:
- Arson and Fire Safety v4 (the source course for this article),
- Storms and Disasters v4,
- Mass Trauma Emergency.
Church members who are not members of the Safety Ministry are welcome to take these classes.
Conclusion -
The safest fire is the one that does not start.
References -
- Kris Moloney, "Arson and Fire Safety V4," Sheepdog Church Security, © 2020 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/arson-prevention-and-fire-drills-for-churches].
- Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2023 at [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide], also 2018 at [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/church-security-guide].
- Kris Moloney, "Fire Safety in the Church," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=fire-safety-in-the-church].
- Staff, "Fire Prevention Week," National Fire Protection Association, 2025 [https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week].
- Staff, "Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home Tip Sheet," National Fire Protection Association, 2025 [https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week/charge-into-fire-safety-tip-sheet].
- Justin Vellucci, "Police: Suspect in custody after St. Ann church arson, 4 other Greene County fires," Trib Live, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025 [https://triblive.com/local/regional/police-suspect-in-custody-after-st-ann-church-arson-four-other-greene-county-fires/].
- JT Moodee Lockman, "Historic Baltimore County church damaged in fire caused by lightning strikes," CBS Baltimore - WJZ, Updated on: July 3, 2025 [https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-baltimore-county-dundalk-st-ritas-church-fire/].
- Tiana Johnson and Cristiana Ramos, "Officials reveal cause of fire that devastated Central City Baptist Church in Beaumont," 12NewsNow, Published July 25, 2022, Updated August 2, 2022 [https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/crews-battling-fire-at-central-city-baptist-church-in-beaumont/502-1d3128b4-5ac9-4055-8fdd-3ab655bf9ef8].
- Kollin Kosmicki, "Church fire ruled accidental, caused by unattended candles," Greater Milwaukee Today, December 15, 2005, Updated January 24, 2020 [https://www.gmtoday.com/business/church-fire-ruled-accidental-caused-by-unattended-candles/article_4777e974-1c22-5cf3-8d80-3980a164148e.html].
- Berkshire Eagle Staff, "Furnace is cause of church fire," The Berkshire Eagle, January 21, 2010 [https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/furnace-is-cause-of-church-fire/article_126c2923-92fc-57ea-84c9-1e76a36c7c5e.html].
- Staff, "Lithium-Ion Battery Safety," National Fire Protection Association, 2025 [https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week].
- Monica Garske and Andrew Johnson, "FBI, Escondido Police Offer $10K Reward in Search for Mosque Arsonist," NBC 7 San Diego, April 11, 2019 [https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/escondido-muslim-mosque-arson-fbi-police-reward-offered-dar-ul-arqam-san-diego-county/162005/].
- KSNB Local 4 Staff, "Spontaneous combustion blamed for Lawrence church fire: Stain rag combustion led to fire," KSNB Local 4, October 17, 2023; Updated October 18, 2023 [https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2023/10/17/spontaneous-combustion-blamed-lawrence-church-fire/].
- "Firestop," Wikipedia, last edited July 2025 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firestop].
- Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, revised 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-v5-2025].
- Kris Moloney, Standalone Courses, Sheepdog Church Security, 2016-2022 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/collections/courses].