GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Police and sheriff's deputies rushed to check on churches early Sunday after fires broke out at two Baptist churches and a break-in was discovered at a third. Authorities stopped short of saying the fires were arson.
But the state Bureau of Investigation, along with Greenville officials and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, planned to begin an investigation later Sunday morning.
"Anytime you have two fires like that in succession, it's certainly a suspicious fire," Fire Department Battalion Chief Sandy Harris said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and authorities said they found no signs of fires at any other church in Greenville, which is about 75 miles east of Raleigh.
Firefighters were called to The Memorial Baptist Church shortly after 11 p.m. and found smoke billowing from its educational wing. The blaze soon spread to the church's original structure.
Firefighters had largely contained the blaze by 2:30 a.m. but were still working to extinguish hot spots, Harris said.
About half of the church appeared to be destroyed, though Harris said the main sanctuary appeared undamaged. Firefighters were worried about the stability of the church's steeple, he said.
Dispatchers received a report of a fire at Unity Free Will Baptist Church, about a half-mile away from The Memorial, shortly before 11:30 p.m. Authorities said damage there was contained to a few rooms.
"Right now, I'm numb," said Jeff Manning, minister at Unity Free Will. "My head is spinning. We will have to figure out what to do, and at the same time, our heart goes out to the good folks at Memorial Baptist because there's is a whole lot worse than ours."
Police were also investigating a break-in at Oakmont Baptist Church, located less than a quarter-mile from The Memorial, said police Cpl. Kip Gaskins. Witnesses told The Daily Reflector of Greenville the tires of three church vehicles at The Memorial were slashed.
"At this point we're still collecting evidence. However, we have all these churches set on fire minutes apart from each other, so you can take that for what it is worth," Gaskins said.
