A nighttime fire at the North Valley Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church in Phoenix, Arizona is being blamed on arson, with city and federal officials investigating. The Feb. 7 blaze gutted the church, and caused a reported $200,000 in damage.

While the congregation, which has 150 members, is insured, the emotional toll is heavy. Discussing the thought that the fire was set, church Pastor Claudio M. Martin told the “Arizona Republic” newspaper, “I don’t want to even suspect that someone would do such a thing.”

However, that same newspaper report indicated arson is, indeed, suspected. Division Chief Mike Sandulak of the Phoenix Fire Department told the Republic the fire was “intentionally set” and “started in some exterior wooden shutters on the south side of the church, then spread to the attic.”

Sandulak added that he believes an “accelerant” was used to make the fire spread.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also called in because church burnings are a federal crime, the paper reported. The Republic quoted ATF spokesman Tom Mangan as saying “there were a lot of ‘pour patterns’ found,” which again would indicate that the fire was deliberately set.

“We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community and neighboring churches. The loss of their church home is a very sad event for North Valley’s members and Pastor Claudio Martin. Prayers for the congregation are appreciated during this difficult time,” stated Kent Sharpe, treasurer of the Arizona Conference, in a written statement.

According to the Arizona Republic report, the church is the 18th Phoenix-area church to be burned since 2000 in what are believed to be arson fires. Six of those fires have occurred since June 2005.