SAN ANTONIO — While volunteers swooped in to start cleaning and repairing damage, arson investigators are looking into what may have caused a suspicious fire at a warehouse on the campus of Grace Lutheran Church downtown early Saturday.
Firefighters were called out to the the 500 block of Avenue E around 1:48 a.m. for reports of a fire in a storage building used by the Christian Assistance Ministry. The group provides many services to people who are homeless six days a week.
Operations Director Mary Henderson said "Today at CAM we are so grateful that we have had at least three groups here to help," adding "They were already scheduled and what a miracle! None of them decided to leave and go home so we've had lots of help!"
Even without power, the volunteers managed to feed dozens of people who came to their usual spot for breakfast.
"We are still feeding people today. We feed people Monday thru Saturday 9 to 11am no matter what," Henderson said.
While some carried on their ministry of direct service, others entered the dark, cavernous warehouse to begin getting rid of the grime and stench left behind by a fire that ate through a massive door on the east end of the building.
Henderson said repairing the breach in the wall is an important first step in the recovery. "Without it, none of our supplies are secure," Henderson said.
The next big challenge, she said, will be deciding what can be salvaged and what will have to be thrown away.
"The smoke is the big, big problem right now. We store out of season clothes so that we'll be ready when it gets cold. We have hoodies and fleeces saved for the first cold snap and now they may be all ruined because of the smoke," Henderson said.
Volunteers spent hours removing soot-covered goods, including many school supplies in backpacks already ear-marked for specific children. Henderson said they try to keep a ready supply of warm clothing for children so that when the first cold snap hits, kids won't be cold.
Looking ahead to how the community might help with the recovery effort Henderson said "We need prayers that things out of our control will go quickly, like having the electricity turned back on and that repair people will be available in a timely fashion, and that deliveries will come in a timely fashion."
Henderson said they will not be able to accept donations of goods at this time. "At this time we do not need contributions of food or clothing items, but because we may have to discard so many of our clothing items we may need contributions in the coming weeks," Henderson said.
"In the days ahead we are going to need financial contributions and we may need extra people to come and help us clean," Henderson said, adding the group does have a wish list on their website: https://christianassistanceministry.org/
SAFD said they received reports that someone in a vehicle drove by and threw a bottle which was on fire at the building.
Arson investigators were called to the scene to conduct their investigation but they have not provided an update about the cause.
Nobody was inside the building at the time and no injuries were reported.
As the hot, smelly work continued, Henderson said "We thank all these people for being here and being the hands and feet of Christ!"
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