Mounties investigating church blaze as arson

Police are investigating an early morning Wednesday blaze at the Beiseker Seventh Day Adventist Church as an arson.

According to Airdrie RCMP, police received a call at 6:24 a.m. on December 20 of a structure fire located on Range Road 242 in Wheatland County.

A church east of Beiseker was completed destroyed after an early morning blaze on Wednesday morning. (Graphic credit to Google Maps)

"When fire crews arrived, the Church was fully engulfed in flames. A fire investigator was called to assist, and later that day, the fire was deemed an arson," police stated.

Michael Bourgon, the Manager of Emergency and Fire Services for Wheatland County stated earlier that four fire departments responded, including the Rockyford Fire Department, Dalum Fire Department, Rosebud Fire Department, as well as the Wheatland West County Fire Department.

A Wednesday morning blaze Northeast of Airdrie which completely destroyed a church is being investigated as an arson. (Photo provided by Airdrie RCMP)

"Upon arrival, the structure was fully involved, so, we went to defensive operations and the total loss to the structure," Bourgon said.

Police are asking that if anyone has any information regarding this arson, please contact the Airdrie RCMP at 403‐ 945‐7200, or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1‐800‐222‐8477 (TIPS), or online at www. P3Tips.com.

Last week, on December 15, Wood Buffalo RCMP also responded to reports of a structure fire at a church.

"Upon arrival, RCMP noted that the [St. Gabriel Catholic Church] was fully engulfed in flames. RCMP spoke to people in the area who witnessed a silver sedan driving away from the church around the time it went up in flames. The matter is currently under investigation," police said in an earlier news release.

Earlier this month, two churches that were also set ablaze in Barrhead, Alberta, a few hundred kilometres North of Airdrie, were also deemed to be arson by police. In a December 8, news release, RCMP said they were continuing to investigate.

"RCMP and the Barrhead Fire Services continue to investigate the cause of the fires and both are being treated as arson. An older model two-tone truck was observed leaving the scene at The Glenreagh Church and is believed to be linked to the fires," RCMP stated.

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