Sequim Gazette staff

At about 5:40 p.m. on Christmas day, Dec. 25, personnel from Clallam County Fire District 3 quelled a small fire that singed the steeple of the First Baptist Church of Sequim on the 1300 block of Sequim-Dungeness Way.

The fire originally was reported as a chimney fire.

The church was not occupied at the time, fire district officials said.

A quick search of the church revealed that the fire was contained to the steeple, they noted. Power was disconnected and the fire was extinguished.

For safety reasons, a decision was made to remove the top portion of the steeple, fire district officials said. Patrick Young, Public Information Officer for District 3, said the fire likely was caused by the wiring leading to a light socket in the steeple.  

“That was the only source of fire up there,” he said.

No injuries were reported and the operations of the church should not be affected, fire district sources said.