Church in Delaware Torched Causing $250k in Damage
Investigators are searching for the person who entered a Glasgow church’s sanctuary and lit it on fire, causing $250,000 in damage late Monday night.
The fire was discovered around 11 p.m. at Reach Church, located on Del. 896, just south of Porter Road.
Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company was dispatched for an automatic fire alarm, and firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze and spent “considerable time” ventilating smoke from the building, officials said, including cutting holes in the church’s steeple. Crews from Aetna were on scene for approximately two hours, along with assistance from Christiana, Chesapeake City, Delaware City, Singerly, Minquas, Port Penn, Volunteer Hose and Five Points fire companies.
No one was injured.
Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Robert Fox ruled the fire arson.
“The investigation revealed that multiple fires originated inside of the sanctuary and were caused by an unknown subject igniting combustible material,” Fox said.
The fire came as Reach Church was preparing to reopen for in-person services on Aug. 2, after months of worshipping outdoors or online due to the pandemic.
In a message to congregants, Pastor Chuck Betters noted that just a few hours before the fire, the church held a leadership training event inside the sanctuary. Fortunately, he said, nobody was inside when the fire began.
“We truly believe that this moment in our 35-year history is another watershed moment that will bond us together like never before,” Betters said.
He quoted James 1:1-4, “The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
“Perseverance is ‘finishing its work’ on Reach Church, and I am 100 percent convinced that we will emerge more ‘complete’ than ever,” Betters said. “Jesus said, ‘I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.’
source: https://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/arsonist-causes-250-000-damage-to-glasgow-church/article_a7fcbfe4-8a47-5e51-b1be-04ff983f8dfa.html