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Gene Kennedy ReportingAn arsonist hit the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Carolina. Fire investigators in Charlotte are convinced someone intentionally lit an LDS meetinghouse on fire.
Hundreds of people who enjoy that meetinghouse as a place of worship and a social center are impacted by this. Now crime tape surrounds the building.
Geoffrey McIntyre, Church Clerk: "Shock, sad, almost feel like crying."
That's how some church members are reacting after learning an arsonist set between 10 and 20 small fires inside the LDS stake-house early Sunday morning, mere hours before worship service was scheduled to begin.
David Lowery, Charlotte, N.C. Fire Dept.: "Whoever did this spent a long time igniting anything they could find."
Trash cans, offices and classrooms were all lit on fire. There was enough smoke, fire fighters had to pry the roof open for ventilation. It caused half a million dollars in damage, but the structure is salvageable. Fire investigators say the sprinkler system saved the building.
Still, many are in shock. This is a place where nine congregations come together for worship and social events. Some 600 people are impacted.
David Lowery, Charlotte, N.C. Fire Dept.: "Seems like such a safe place, a house of worship. For someone to do this is a pretty bad situation."
A bad situation that someone went to great lengths to create. Now the big questions are who and why?
At this point, church members don't have any reason to believe their faith was a target. Some have speculated there's a copycat doing this, mimicking fires set at other churches in Alabama. Charlotte's arson task force is investigating all angles, trying get some answers.
