CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Police treating church fire as a crime
Jan 26, 2019, 6:30 PM | Updated: Jan 27, 2019, 11:11 am
Flames show from a fire at the St. George East Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019.
ST. GEORGE – A new stake center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was destroyed by a fire on Saturday. The building is considered a total loss. Police are investigating the fire as a crime.
(Credit: Saint George East Stake)
No persons are believed to have been injured by the Saturday fire.
The building, situated across the street from the St. George Temple, was intended to be a replacement for an older building that had been torn down last year.
In a press conference, St. George Police officer Tiffany Atkin said, “We are treating it as a crime right now.”
The fire was first reported early Saturday morning, at about 1 a.m. The fire spread from one side of the building to the other.
The fire brought down the roof and ceiling. The battle against the fire became more dangerous as a result of the collapse.
Little more than the frame of the building remains after the fire was extinguished.
The stake presidency of the St. George East Stake offered a statement on Facebook.
Anyone with information regarding the fire is encouraged to call St. George Police at 435-627-4300.
