PORTLAND, Ore. – Two electrical fires at a Northeast Portland church Saturday night caused an estimated $12,000 in damage.
The first fire started just after 4 p.m. at the Allen Temple CME Church, located at 4236 N.E. 8th Ave.
Firefighters extinguished the fire, but it flared up again later Saturday night.
The fire caused $10,000 in damage to the building and another $2,000 to items inside.
"It's just one of those things that you think is surreal," said Rev. Beverly Jackson. "You're like, this is a bad dream because this is my church."
Jackson said she was thankful the damage to the 116-year-old building wasn't worse.
"Our faith says we will be back and we will rebuild and it will be better than it was before," she said.
The building was closed for repairs. Restoration crews said it could take one or two months to fix.
Mikesha Allen said she grew up in the church.
"It's kind of crazy to see it look like that, but we will get through it."
A neighboring congregation at Maranatha Church welcomed community members to use their building in the meantime.
"Tragedies have a way of pulling people together and pulling out the best in people," said Jackson.
