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MUKILTEO, Wash. -- A joint federal and local investigation has confirmed arson caused a two-alarm fire that burned an LDS Church meetinghouse to the ground.
A $10,000 reward is now being offered to catch the culprit, who officials believe started the early-Saturday fire on the exterior of the building toward the center of the structure.
The building at 11001 Harbour Point Blvd. was showing heavy smoke when the first firefighting unit arrived at 3:05 a.m. A second alarm brought 44 firefighters to the blaze, which had to be fought from the exterior because of concerns over injury.
The Mukilteo Fire Department was joined by units from Lynnwood Fire Department, Snohomish County Fire District 1 and Everett Fire Department.
It took 17 hours to fully extinguish the blaze at the building, which serves as a meetinghouse for two wards.
Investigators, which included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, returned to the scene Sunday to compile additional evidence.
Officials are urging anyone with information to call the arson hotline at 1-800-55ARSON.
Sunday services were moved to a nearby meeting house.
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com
