WCBD News 2

BOWMAN, S.C. (WCBD) – A South Carolina man’s hand-crafted beacon designed to welcome visitors from another world has been destroyed in an early morning fire.

The UFO Welcome Center in Bowman has been a popular spot for curious tourists for years.

“I was the proprietor, the captain, of the UFO Welcome Center right here in Bowman, South Carolina; However, as you’ve noticed behind me, it is no longer there,” said Jody Pendarvis, who created the UFO Welcome Center.

Pendarvis lived in the single-wide mobile home next to the UFO Welcome Center.

“I heard the popping outside of my bedroom and I just thought it was a storm. And when I looked out back and I saw the red stuff, I thought it was a fire engine at first. But I was wrong. In fact, it was kind of devastating- in fact, it hasn’t hit me yet. Terrible” he said.

Pendarvis added, “Lucky for me. I threw my pants on, my shoes on, and a shirt that’s all I got right now but I’m sure I’ll survive.”

But what started the fire?

“Don’t know what started the fire. It may have been one of them alien ships that might’ve been by early this morning. I’m not sure,” he said.

Bowman Mayor Patsy Rhett told News 2 they don’t know exactly what started the fire either. She was called at about 7:15 a.m. with the news it was on fire. She said it took quite a while to get the fire put out. The welcome center and the single-wide are gone.

“Well, to tell you the truth, the UFO Welcome Center started when my grandfather‘s house burnt down down the road. And I started building it the very next day,” said Pendarvis.

That was decades ago. He used whatever wood he could find and kept building a place for UFOs to land if they decided to visit him in Bowman.

“It got started with a fire and it ended with a fire. That’s kind of rough, but the UFO Welcome Center just got started on his own. Whether it was from alien encounters or not,” said.

Despite this tragedy, Pendarvis still has his sense of humor.

“Let us all have a great day and let’s watch the skies like that one right up there.”

The cause of this fire is still under investigation.