Gold Bar church fire signs point to arson

GOLD BAR – A fire that gutted the town’s only church building was likely an arson, investigators said Tuesday.

The fire late Sunday caused an estimated $700,000 in damage to Mountain Valley Chapel, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in August.

Investigators initially believed the fire started inside a wall between the basement and sanctuary, but determined Tuesday that the fire originated outside the church, acting Snohomish County Fire Marshal Ed Hardesty said.

Burn patterns show the blaze probably was set near the left front corner of the building, he said. The chapel was built between 1904 and 1907.

The 125-member congregation is “hurt that such disrespect would be shown for a house where God’s people meet,” Pastor Michael Smith said. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to us.”

If the fire was arson, “we’d want some justice to make sure it stopped occurring,” he said. “At the same time, my heart goes out to the person who’d want to do that, and we’re praying for them. We’re concerned about their soul and their heart.”

Smith, who has led the Open Bible Christian congregation for 14 years, does not believe the fire was a hate crime.

“It’s just a dumb act,” he said. “Probably, whoever did it did not think it would burn the church down.”

A teenage boy riding his bike noticed the fire at 10:50 p.m. Sunday and pedaled to the sheriff’s station a few blocks away to report the blaze. The boy is not a suspect, said Hardesty, the fire marshal.

Investigators will continue examining the chapel this week, he said.

The church has insurance and plans to rebuild, Smith said.

“To meet the needs of 2004 rather than 1904, there will be some changes to enhance the building,” Smith said. “We’re going to make it even better.”

The church will hold services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in its fellowship hall, which is connected to the church but escaped the fire with little damage.

Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.

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