Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church

Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory Church in Lehigh Acres.

The church is located off Ashlar Avenue near G.Weaver Hipps Elementary School.

The state fire marshal can only confirm at this time this fire investigation is open and ongoing, but fire investigators on scene who spoke with the lead pastor told him they suspect, based on the investigation so far, that this fire may have been arson.

“That’s where the spot was,” said Pastor Larry Gregory. “There was three rows of chairs there, and then they burnt onto the carpet right there.”

The carpet was blackened and charred after the fire early Thursday morning.

“We got a phone call, like, 4 something in the morning, saying that the church was on fire,” said Gregory.

WINK News spoke with Gregory, a pastor at Victory Church, about what investigators told him about what started the fire.

“Well, what had happened was the fire officials told us that it was arson, that someone purposely set it, probably with a lighter,” said Gregory. “They’re still doing tests on if they use any accelerant, and they set some of the church chairs on fire, and then it is spread to multiple chairs.”

Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District responded to the fire around 4 a.m. Thursday morning.

The good news is the church’s sprinkler system kicked on and first responders put out the fire quickly.

“I was very thankful. When you hear your church is on fire, they think, you know, flames shooting out of the roof or something,” said Gregory, “but I was very grateful that that’s all it was.”

If the fire was started by someone, the pastor has a message for them.

“I pray that God touches him or her, and that they understand what they did is not good, and I hope they come to know about Jesus like I have,” said Gregory. “We hope they come to church and they can find Christ.”

Victory Church has had people cleaning inside and getting the church back in shape, and this fire won’t stop them from worshiping. Sunday services will be held at the church this weekend.

We’ll make sure to follow up with the state fire marshal once the cause of the fire has been determined.