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OREM — Investigators suspect a July fire inside the Orem temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is under construction, was the result of arson.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with the Orem Police Department, announced a $5,000 reward for information about the fire.
Just after 11 p.m. on July 25, flames became visible inside the Orem temple, 1471 S Geneva Road.
"The source of the fire is not yet known, but it is believed that the fire started on the third floor of the temple. Foam was used to extinguish the fire as much as possible, which limited water damage to the construction site," church spokesman Doug Andersen said at the time of the incident.
Isolated fire damage was found in the temple as well as "significant smoke damage" throughout the entire structure, estimated to be in the thousands of dollars, according to information released Tuesday by the ATF. No injuries were reported.
While the ATF did not say why arson is suspected or how the fire may have started, investigators did release grainy black-and-white surveillance video that shows a person leaving the temple entrance at a hurried pace. The time stamp in the video is one minute before the fire was reported.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or 1-888-283-8477 or Orem police at 801-229-7070. Tips can also be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov or through ATF's website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips.
Construction of the Orem Utah Temple is expected to be completed in mid-2023, according to the church.
