Arson at a Clark County church is being investigated

VANCOUVER, Washington – The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspected arson incident at a church in the Lake Shore neighborhood north of Vancouver.

According to the sheriff’s office, one or more unknown individuals used a rock to break a side window of City Harvest Church early Sunday morning and attempted to start a fire inside.

The building’s fire extinguishing system was activated quickly and put out the fire before it could cause any major damage. However, the church suffered significant water damage from the sprinklers being activated.

A restoration company has been working at the church for the past few days to dry the floors. On Wednesday, crews were still on site, running several industrial fans throughout the building. The full extent of the damage was still unknown.

Speaking to KGW, Pastor Peter Schrater said the break-in was clearly a malicious act. Pictures that Schrater sent to KGW showed just how extensive the damage was. Workers had to remove carpets in at least two different rooms, such was the extent of the damage.

Sergeant Chris Skidmore of the sheriff’s office added that it was unusual for police to be confronted with a case of arson in a church.

“It’s certainly one of those things that you would say shocks the conscience and that you don’t expect to see,” he said.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has not released any information about a suspect. It is not yet known how much the repairs will cost.

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