As the March 2018 issue of The Courier went to press, employees worked from a temporary business location and from their homes after an electrical fire forced a temporary closure of the newsmagazine’s Greenville office building.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of Jan. 16 while staff members were putting the finishing touches on the February issue. Electricians were checking on a problem with an electrical panel in the building’s basement when the fire broke out.

Greenville firefighters were on the scene within minutes, and the blaze was quickly contained. The most extensive damage appeared to be contained to the electrical service box. However, acrid smoke poured out of a basement door for approximately 20 minutes and permeated the offices and hallways above.

Power to the building, located at 100 Manly St. in Greenville’s Pettigru Street Historic District, has been disconnected until repairs and building code upgrades to the electrical system are complete, which could take a few weeks, according to Courier editor Rudy Gray.

“This has been an inconvenience, but we have been blessed with the technology to continue our work and provide the March issue of The Courier on time,” said Gray. “We are blessed that no one was injured in the fire. Our building was not destroyed, and we have insurance.”

The Courier’s business operations continue uninterrupted while the building is being repaired. To reach staff members, call 864-232-8736 or visit BaptistCourier.com.

The Courier’s current office building was built in two phases, in 1969 and 1979. The Baptist Courier was founded in 1869 and has been located in Greenville for most of its history.