Fire at historic Columbia church was arson, feds say
Almost a month after a fire at a historic Columbia church, federal investigators said the blaze was intentionally set.
The U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is searching for the person who started the fire at the Whaley Street United Methodist Church, the Columbia Fire Department said in a news release. It has been determined to be arson, ATF spokesman Corey Ray told The State Wednesday.
“Somebody broke in and set the back part of the church on fire,” said Joe Cal Watson, who has been the pastor at Whaley Street UMC for three years. “It’s beyond me why anyone would do it.”
On March 19, a fire was reported at the downtown Columbia church, which opened in 1896. It’s in the 500 block of Whaley Street, near the junction with Huger Street, and a half mile from the University of South Carolina’s Founders Park baseball stadium.
It is a eye-catching building with a design featuring a “Gothic Revival style denoted by pointed arched windows, crenellated parapets and a buttressed tower caped by a slate-roof spire, according to the National Register of Historic Places.
Whaley Street is a part of the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and its member’s mission is “to love God, love others, and be servants,” according to its Facebook page.
Crews from the fire department responded just before midnight and discovered flames “coming from several windows of the building,” according to the release.
The fire was reported by a neighbor, or someone in the area, according to Ray.
The 2-alarm fire was extinguished by early morning March 20, the fire department said on Twitter. The blaze was contained to the room where it started, the fire department said.
No one was inside the church during the fire and no injuries were reported by the fire department.
Because it was a church fire, it is standard procedure to call both ATF and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to investigate, according to the fire department.
Investigators with the ATF determined an incendiary agent was used to start the fire, the federal agency said.
While the fire was contained to the church’s nursery, Watson said the entire building suffered smoke damage. Information on the estimated cost of damage to the church was not available.
“There was extensive damage to the church,” Ray said.
Work has begun on repairs, but between the damage and the spread of the coronavirus, Watson said he and his “older” congregation have been told not to go to the church.
In the meantime, Watson has been leading virtual services online on YouTube and Facebook. He said last Sunday’s service had more than 130 views, which impressed the pastor.
There are 65 members of the Whaley Street Church congregation, which is predominantly white, according to Watson.
“We have some very nice people, some interesting people,” Watson said of the congregation, but still could not rationalize why someone would target the church. “It surprised me that it was intentional. It really startled me because I don’t know why anyone would do it.”
The ATF said it’s looking for information related to the church fire, and is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for help in the investigation.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call 888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477).
”We hope to get information on who set it and why,” Ray said. “With so many people at home, we hope the reward will push them to make calls to the tip line.”
Investigators are trying to determine the motive for setting the fire, according to Ray.
ATF has jurisdiction investigating fires and crimes of arson, but is being assisted by SLED, the Columbia Police Department, and the Columbia Fire Department.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 1:11 PM.
