BARRHEAD - It was arson.
That is what Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) chief Gary Hove said on the scene of the second historic fire, St. Mary Abbots Anglican, a.k.a The Pioneer Memorial Church, near Thunder Lake on late Thursday, Dec. 7, in the evening.
Earlier in the evening, emergency services personnel also responded to a fire at St. Aidan's Church on Range Road 40 in Glenreagh.
"There is no question both fires were arson," Hove said.
In the case of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Hove said the arsonist started the fire inside the church building, while at St. Aidan's Church, the arsonist started the fire on its front steps.
The Pioneer Church was destroyed, while the structure of St. Aidan's remains structurally sound, although it suffered considerable damage.
Firefighters received the first call, the fire at St. Aidan's Church at 7:48 p.m. Firefighters had been on the scene for about an hour when they received the call that a second church was on fire at 8:54 p.m.
At that time, Hove re-deployed the bulk of the about a dozen firefighters who had responded with two fire engines and two water tenders while deputy chief Ted Amos supervised the mop-up at St. Aidan's Church.
The Barrhead Leader spoke to RCMP Cpl. Filipe Vicente at the scene of the second fire, who noted that police had little to go on at this time.
He said a witness noticed a suspicious vehicle, an older two-tonne pickup, parked in front of St. Aidan's Church at about the time of the fire. It reportedly left when emergency crews arrived.
Shortly after the second fire, the RCMP issued a Barrhead and Area Regional Crime Coalition (BARCC) system alert, asking the public to watch for suspicious activities near area churches, especially those in rural locations in the County of Barrhead.
Vicente also noted that RCMP members were also actively patrolling the other churches.
County of Barrhead Coun. Bill Lane drove to the Pioneer Memorial Church when he read the BARCC alert was visibly upset about the situation.
"I'm pissed off," he said. "[The arsonist] waited until the fire crews arrived at [the fire Glenreagh], knowing they would all be over there so he could come and do this."
Lane added the arsonist also probably knew the church was an easy target, as the group that maintains the church stopped locking it years ago.
"People kept busting in there, and they were tired of constantly having to replace the door and windows," he said.
Ted Odgen, who lives close to the Pioneer Memorial Church and mows its lawn in the spring and summer, was devastated by the loss of the building.
He said that although the church had long stopped holding regular services, people often arranged to host special occasions there, especially weddings, adding he had recently attended a wedding at the venue.
"This is where I had my wedding 15 years ago," he said, adding the building is no longer powered, and the pews had had long been removed because of vandalism.
Lane added he hoped they could save something from the church, adding that the bell especially had special meaning for area residents, including himself.
"I remember ringing it at my brother's wedding," he said.
According to the Barrhead and District Historical Society, St. Mary Abbots Anglican was constructed in 1912 by Rev. William L. S. Dallas and the Paddle River community. A memorial outside St. Aidan's Church states that pioneers built the church in 1913.
Police are asking anyone with information about who started these fires to contact the Barrhead RCMP Detachment at 780-674-4848 or 780-674-2696. For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), by Internet at www.tipsubmit.com or by SMS (check your local Crime Stoppers www.crimestoppers.ab.ca for instructions).
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