wfn.org | [APD] British Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Destroyed By Fire

[Christian B. Schäffler <APD@stanet.ch>]

>November 17, 2008

>APD News Flash

>News Agency APD

>CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

><mailto:APD@stanet.ch> APD@stanet.ch

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[APD] British Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Destroyed  By
Fire

Watford, Hertfordshire/UK. [APD]  On Sunday 16 November a major fire at  the
Headquarters office of the Seventh-day Adventist church in the United
Kingdom and Ireland has left the building devastated.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene at
approximately 2.10 pm and ten fire tenders battled the blaze throughout  the
afternoon and into the evening. Much of the main part of the building is
destroyed. There were no casualties or injuries. Fire crews are expected  to
continue dealing with the blaze into the night.

Mrs Francis Brooks works in the ABC Bookshop located at the far end of  the
building and was the only person inside at the time. She evacuated the
building on hearing the fire alarm and was shocked to see smoke pouring  out
of the roof above the board room.

Eyewitness Jo Hart said to the Watford Observer: "I really can?t  believe
what I?m seeing, smoke and flames are coming from all over the place.  It
looks like half the building is missing."

"This will obviously prove a major disruption to our work," stated
Communication director, Victor Hulbert. "However, we are relieved that
nobody was hurt and we are already making plans as to how best to deal  with
the aftermath."

Until the fire is fully out and the building declared safe it is  impossible
to ascertain how much material has been lost but all staff have made a
commitment to restore a normal service as soon as possible.

Pastor Don McFarlane, President of the Adventist Church in the UK and
Ireland states that "the fire at our church headquarters has surely  affected
operations. However, it is a comfort to know that the work of the church  is
not primarily done in an office building but by our many thousands of
members through the UK and Ireland in towns, villages and cities where  they
live.

"We will salvage what we can from the ruins of the building and seek to  have
a replacement as soon as the attendant factors allow. The sorry state of
this building, which for nearly 50 years has stood proudly on  Stanborough
Park reminds us that there is no real security in anything that is  fashioned
by the hand of men. Our security is in God and his plans for the human
family."

The office will be closed until further notice. Phone and email are
currently not working. Once service is restored we will post information  to
this website.

In the meantime the South England Conference Office will take messages  on
behalf of the BUC on + 44 (0)1923 232728. No *adventist.org.uk email
addresses currently work. An emergency email address has been set up  until
service can be restored.

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This article is also available on the Internet at:

>http://www.stanet.ch/apd/news/2006.html

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