Fire Destroys Austell Church; Suspect Arrested, Linked to Prior Arson Case

A fire in Austell on Monday night destroyed Prayer City Eagles Chapel International Ministries on Joe Jerkins Boulevard, leaving the congregation devastated but determined to rebuild.

The overnight blaze broke out around 9 p.m., according to Austell Fire Chief Brandon Merritt, who said crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from the roof. Firefighters battled the fire for several hours before extinguishing it just before midnight. No injuries were reported, but much of the structure—including the sanctuary roof—was lost.

“When crews arrived, there was already fire coming out of the roof from the front side,” Merritt said. “The fire was already extensive inside before they could get on it.” |

The church, which has served the community for more than 11 years, is led by Pastor Raphael Grant, who said he was asleep when he received the early morning call that the building was burning.

“I was in bed when one of our leaders called,” Grant recalled. “I jumped up, drove here, and lo and behold, the church was gone.”

On Tuesday morning, members of the congregation stood in disbelief as firefighters extinguished remaining hotspots.

“It looks like we’re not going to be able to salvage anything,” said one longtime member, calling the loss “devastating.”

Austell Mayor Ollie Clemons visited the site to offer his support. “A place of worship is sacred and needed now more than ever,” Clemons said. “It’s heartbreaking to see something like this happen to a congregation that means so much to the community. The city will do everything it can to help them rebuild.”

Associate Pastor Paul Tamo, who has been with the church since 2009, said despite the tragedy, the congregation’s faith remains unshaken.

“Like the phoenix, we’ll rise up from the ashes and be here again,” Tamo said. “This is an act of evil, but we are still children of God. We’ll rise up and build again.”

The church had only recently completed major repairs following a 2022 flooding incident caused by frozen pipes. “We just rebuilt the church and started worshiping again,” Grant said. “I can’t really describe how I’m feeling.”1

Suspect Identified in Connection with Fire

Authorities have charged 25-year-old Aries Jordan in connection with the church fire. Jordan faces multiple charges, including arson, vandalism, and terroristic threats.

According to arrest warrants, Jordan allegedly sent threatening text messages to Pastor Grant and his wife before the fire. She appeared in court Wednesday night, where no bond was set.

This is not Jordan’s first connection to an arson investigation. Police documents show she was previously questioned in an August apartment fire on Riverside Parkway in Austell. She has not been charged in that case, and the investigation remains active.

Court records also reveal that Jordan was convicted in Fulton County in 2022 for making harassing communications—calling Emory Hospital locations more than 100 times and threatening staff.

The Austell Fire Department and Cobb County Fire investigators continue to investigate the incident.

“We are waiting to see what happens,” Pastor Grant said. “It’s a sinister act, but we are trusting God through this.”