Feds investigating cause of Whaley Street church fire, offering $5,000 reward

Federal agents are seeking information on a recent, suspicious church fire in Columbia.

The Whaley Street United Methodist Church caught fire at night on March 19 and nobody was injured. The fire was contained to one room, according to an article from ABC Columbia.

Now, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is seeking information on how the fire may have been set, according to a tweet from the bureau’s Charlotte field division.

The bureau classified the fire as “incendiary,” which means “a fire intentionally ignited under circumstances where the person knows the fire should not be ignited,” according to ARCCA, a company that specializes in investigating fires.

The definition is not the same as arson, which is “the crime of maliciously and intentionally, or recklessly, starting a fire or causing an explosion,” according to the company’s website.

Those with information are encouraged to call 1-888-ATF-TIPS with information. The bureau is offering up to $5,000 reward for information about the fire.