Arson Spree Feared In Church Blazes
Fires Erupt On Birmingham Backroads; No Discernible Motive
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Play CBS Video Video Church Arson Investigation The FBI has joined the investigation into a string of arson fires at small Baptist churches in rural Alabama. As Mark Strassmann reports, authorities have so far found no suspects and no motives.
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Video Six Alabama Church Fires In Bibb County, Ala., fires at six churches have been keeping firefighters busy. The pastor of one church, Ashby Baptist Church in Briersfield, discusses the destruction.
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Video Probe Into Ala. Church Arsons State and federal authorities are hoping a reward will prompt some leads in the investigation of five Baptist church burnings in Bibb County, Ala. Mark Strassmann reports.
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A firefighter sprays water on hot spots of a fire that destroyed Pleasant Sabine Baptist Church, Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, in Centreville, Ala. (AP)
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Firefighters spray water on the remains of Ashby Baptist Church Friday Feb. 3, 2006, near Brierfield, Ala. (AP)
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Volunteer firefighter Frank Wilson uses a hose to extinguish smoldering embers at Rehobeth Baptist Church in Lawley, Ala, on Friday, Feb. 3, 2006. (AP)
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Ashby Baptist Church in Brierfield, Alabama. (NNS)
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Firefighters battle an overnight blaze in Brierfield, Alabama. (NNS)
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Two others — Old Union Baptist at Brierfield and Antioch Baptist at Antioch — were damaged.
Robert Ingram, who lives near Rehobeth Baptist, said the sky was lit up by flames when he awoke early Friday in his mobile home and saw the church on fire.
"At 2 o'clock it was blazing 100 feet high," he said. "It was just boiling out of the building."
The wood-frame church, whose congregation was established in 1819 and now has about 80 members, was left in smoking rubble Friday.
At Ashby Baptist, volunteer firefighters from Brierfield found it fully ablaze when they arrived about 4 a.m.
Chief Lesslie Edwards, a member who helped build a section of the church, said the fire was "a nightmare when we got here."
Alvin Lawley, who lives near Old Union Baptist, whose congregation was established in 1886, hurried to the church after being called about 4 a.m. He said he and a second person arrived just after fires had been started in two flower pots under an American flag, which was burned.
"We couldn't have been far behind them," he said.
He said some furniture and carpet was burned before they put out the fire with extinguishers.
"I am outraged that anyone would deliberately set fire to churches," said Gov. Bob Riley, who planned to visit all five Saturday. He said ways to assist the churches would be explored.
Congregations promise to rebuild, Strassman reports. But this fire also battered Brenda Sisco's Christian spirit.
"When you see the rest of your church being torn down, the walls, forgiveness is not the first thing in your heart," she said. "But you know that's not right.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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