The church was built in 1960. It was also the target of attempted arson last week, but authorities have not yet declared Monday’s fire to be arson. Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police deemed the fire to be “suspicious,” and on Monday said that the debris needed to cool before investigators could determine the cause of the fire.
Surrey Assistant Fire Chief Shelley Morris told the Vancouver Sun that “we just have to wait for the hotspots to be put out before we can go in and do a proper investigation.”
On July 14 at 2:33 a.m., surveillance footage captured a woman appearing to set a fire at the door of the church. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was described by police as “a Caucasian woman, 5’7 tall, with a heavy-set build, and dark hair,” and “wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, a black tank top, black tights with a flower print, and black flip flops.”
Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the two fires were “suspicious,” but added that “there is currently no evidence linking these two separate investigations.”
Bishop Mina called the timing of Monday’s fire “more than circumstantial,” adding that it “therefore raises many questions about what the authorities did to protect our church, especially considering the attempt on the same church this past Wednesday.”
He called on provincial leaders “to immediately and expeditiously conclude this investigation.”
Credit: Source link