Federal agents say they now know what caused the fire that devastated an historic east Texas church earlier this week.
The 116-year-old Enon First Baptist Church of Atlanta was destroyed by an early morning blaze Wednesday.
FBI and ATF agents have spent the past two days digging through the rubble for clues.
Friday, KSLA News 12 has learned that agents have confirmed the blaze was caused by lightning.
Estimates put the damage at more than half-a-million dollars.
From May 15
A blazing fire at an historic church in Atlanta, Texas is under investigation by federal law enforcement agents.
Enon First Baptist Church of atlanta was destroyed by the early Wednesday morning blaze.
The church has been a part of the community since 1892.
Atlanta Fire Chief David Burden said his department received the alarm just before 5:30 in morning.
According to the chief, when units arrived, the brick church was totally engulfed in flames.
He says they have no idea how the fire started.
However, there was a lot of lightning in the area at the time.
The FBI and ATF agents spent most of the day searching through the rubble.
At this time investigators do not believe foul play was involved.
Meanwhile the church members were there Thursday trying to salvage what they could.
They hope to rebuild and say they will resume services this weekend, even if it has to be out of a tent.
