First Baptist Church Fire Ruled Arson; Congregation Will Rebuild

Investigators say a fire that destroyed a church was no accident.

Federal and local law enforcement officers say the fire that destroyed First Baptist Church in Kountze is a case of arson.

Dozens of people filled a courtroom in the Hardin County Courthouse, waiting to hear if investigators found something in the debris at First Baptist Church that told them what happened.

"It has been determined, the cause of this fire is incendiary in nature," says Assistant Special Agent for the ATF, Rob Elder.

A fire on Saturday, April 12 destroyed the church that had been built more than a half century ago.

Although investigators know someone deliberately set the fire, they don't know who did it or why.

And they're not telling us how it started.

"Disappointing we have to do this. Everyone in this town was hoping that church fire would be ruled accidental," says Dale Williford, The Hardin County Fire Marshal for Emergency Services District One.

"No matter who you are, it's just very bothersome to know someone would set a church on fire," Jeremy Rogers is the Associate Pastor. He says the idea that someone would burn a church is disturbing.

"People who are doing things like this never really have a reason for doing it, regardless of their reason, it's never good," says Rogers.

"When all the other stuff has burned away, it makes us realize what's important," says Rogers.

He says what's important is the people.

"But that church has touched everyone in this community," says Williford.

Whether it was before the fire, or after they saw the roof collapse and the fence go up, the community has rallied around the congregation.

"We lost a building, but as everyone knows, the building is not the church," says Elder.

A church that says it's not broken, and will grow stronger, carrying on a tradition that is more than a century old.

If you have any information about the fire, call the Hardin County Sheriff's Office or Kountze Police Department.