Flint church fire deemed suspicious

FLINT (WJRT) -- (09/12/08)-- Fire investigators are calling a fire at a Flint church suspicious. The pastor there calls it devastating.

The fire was first reported at the Church of the Free Spirit just after 11 last night.

It's on the city's east side on the corner of Lewis and Belle.

Most of the charred debris is centered in the middle of two buildings. One was used for storage, the other was the actual church.

A travel trailer was in the middle of the two buildings. Judging by the damage it sustained, it appears that's where the fire started.

The congregation is now without a place to worship, and still trying to sort out why this happened.

Fire investigators are calling a fire at a Flint church suspicious. The pastor there calls it devastating. "We've lost everything," said Pastor Ray Vasquez.

But they haven't lost hope. "We will rebuild. It'll just take time."

But they're having trouble understanding, said Vasquez. "I can't believe this would happen. We just got out of a service an hour before."

"Then we got a call that out church is on fire. Now we've lost our home."

Police and federal fire investigators will soon sift through the damage done to the storage building, the church and the remnants of the trailer that was parked between them.

They try to determine what started the fire. It's not being called arson yet, just suspicious.

Minister and church member Kevin Schafer calls it a mess.  "The church was all about good."

The congregation here is small, but still in need. The buildings were not insured, now the people need somewhere else to go.

The pastor is looking for any help that is available whether it's donated space or donated items.

Investigators will not comment on the fire's cause, yet, but say this is suspicious. Flint Police and ATF investigators will revisit the scene soon to sift through the mess.

They've already taken pictures documenting the damage, but now must determine what actually caused the fire.

The buildings were not insured and now they're locked while this investigation continues.

His people have nowhere to go now.

If you would like to help leaders at the Church of the Free Spirit please call Pastor Ray Vasquez at (810) 424-1688

If you have any information about the fire, please call the arson tip line at 800-44-ARSON

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local, lori dougovito

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