Fires at 2 church buildings in Centre County were intentional, Justice Department agency says
Fires that damaged two United Methodist churches this fall in Centre County were intentional, an agency within the Justice Department said Friday.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in an email Friday that it is working with Patton Township and state police to “solve and prevent a series of intentional fires” at United Methodist churches.
The agency declined to share additional information, citing an ongoing investigation. A message left with township police was not immediately returned Friday.
Woodycrest United Methodist Church, 219 W. Clearview Ave., saw a September fire reduce its sanctuary to cinder and close the entire building due to significant water, fire and smoke damage.
On its website, the church described the blaze as “devastating.” The church was built in 1936 and has about 50 members.
No one was in the building at the time of the fire. An Alpha Fire Co. firefighter was taken to Penn Highlands State College for treatment of a minor hand injury. The church is accepting donations to help cover at least some of its rebuilding costs.
“We always say the church is not a building; the church is the people,” Pastor Renee Ford said at the time. “We know, even though there’s grief and there’s loss, the church will continue to go on.”
The former Fillmore United Methodist Church, 2622 Buffalo Run Road, was damaged in October. A portion of its roof collapsed. Since the fire appeared to start on the outside of the building, investigators immediately believed it may have been intentional.
Similar to the fire at Woodycrest, no one was in the building when first responders arrived. No firefighters were injured. The building had not been used as a church for years. Centre Region Fire Director Shawn Kauffman said it was most recently a rec center.
Those with information about either fire may contact the ATF at 888-283-8477, email ATFTips@atf.gov or submit a tip online.
