The fire at the First Southern Baptist Church destroyed some buildings, but not the spirit of the congregation.

Since fire ravaged the worship center, administration and education buildings of the church in February, the church has been working to get back to normal.

Ron Hart, church pastor for 18 years, said insurance covered the majority of the damage. He said the total expenses were $1.5 million.

Some costs associated with the rebuilding were not covered by insurance, such as asbestos removal from the old building, said Hart.

He said the church had to come up with about $300,000 to cover those expenses.

The church, 445 E. Speedway Blvd., has been holding its smaller services in the chapel, and the larger gatherings have been in a tent. Morning services have been moved to 8:30 am to avoid the heat, said Hart.

Hart said there are a lot of reasons for arson fires.

"I am sure occult and Satanist groups play into it," he said.

The investigation into the fire is continuing, though no arrests have been made, said Patti Thibaut, an arson detective with the Tucson Police Department.

"The investigation has slowed to a standstill," Thibaut said. "The investigation is ongoing."

Thibaut said there was nothing similar to other fires occurring in the University of Arizona area early last year.

She said the cause has been determined, though she would not say what it was.

When asked if an accelerant was used in the fire, Randy Ogden of the Tucson Fire Department said the fire was caused by "ordinary combustible materials."

Sig Celaya of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said the department is continuing to investigate.

"We are still in the process of eliminating potential suspects," Celaya said. "It is still a joint investigation with the police and fire departments."

He said the fire is not related to the other church burnings around the country, but may be linked to other fires in the Tucson area.

Celaya said the bureau has been involved in the investigation because federal law gives it jurisdiction over arson fires at places of worship and anywhere that impacts interstate commerce. He said these issues are coupled with explosives laws.

Meanwhile, the church is trying to get things together.

Hart said attendance and offerings have been strong.

"The congregation has really pulled together," he said.

Hart said architects are working on the new building, complete with a sprinkler system. Construction should start in November and take about five months to complete, he said.

"We hope it will be open in April, if not sooner," Hart said, "and with a very sophisticated security system."

---

Wildcat Weblink: Church Burnings

---