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Pastor believes someone started fire at historic Tavares church

The Historic Church of Christ in Tavares was almost reduced to rubble when a fire tore through one of the buildings and almost made it to the sanctuary.
Firefighters were able to stop the flames Tuesday, but the fire took its toll.
Pastor Eric Newton said he's not sure if the fire was intentional.
The fire broke out at the church early Tuesday morning.

Raw video: Tavares church damaged in fire

 

Firefighters have not determined the cause of the blaze.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
Newton said he has his own theory.
"Someone set fire in there accidental or otherwise," said Newton.
Newton said the church has been targeted by vandals in the past.
"This is the third or fourth time that we have been vandalized in the past 20 years," said Newton.
Although the majority of the rooms affected were used for storage, the room where the fire started has been home to a squatter.
"It was full of trash and it had been for years, and the reason was, there was a homeless man who crashed in there sometimes," said Newton.
The pastor said the man would only show up during bad weather.
Sometimes police would get calls about the homeless man, but the church would refuse to press charges.
The pastor said he doesn’t know if the man was there Monday night, but he hasn’t been seen since.
"It’s been weeks, maybe even months since he's been in there," said Newton.
Newton said he's relieved firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to the sanctuary building that was built in the 1920s.
"That's where we worship and have classes," said Newton.
The church does not have the type of insurance policy that would cover the cost to repair the damage.
No one was injured.

Cox Media Group

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