IN BRIEF: A kitchen appliance fire set off alarms and cancelled Wednesday night services at the Church in the Now on Iris Drive.
Around 6:30 p.m., a fire started at the back of a refrigerator in the Kids in the Now building, which is to the side of the main sanctuary building, according to Rockdale County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Sharon Webb.
The building was evacuated and the sprinkler system set off, which put out the kitchen fire.
However, the refrigerator and kitchen were damaged and there was smoke damage throughout the building.
Six Rockdale fire engines responded to the scene and Newton County's fire department also sent over a ladder truck. There were no civilian injuries but one minor firefighter injury, said Webb.
According to the Church in the Now's website, the church holds services Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m.
The $18.8 million Church in the Now property went into foreclosure in March 2011 and is currently owned by the Evangelical Christian Credit Union.
Newton County Public Schools, which in past years had held their high school graduations in the CITN sanctuary - one of the few local indoor venues with enough seating, decided to hold this year's graduations at the outdoor Homer Sharp Stadium in Covington.