NE Oregon church destroyed by 2nd fire of year
The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of investigators from the Oregon State Police Arson Unit and Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearm, were investigating the cause of an early Tuesday morning fire that resulted in extensive damage to the Arlington Oregon Church of the Nazarene.
According to Gilliam County Sheriff Gary Bettencourt, around 4:35 a.m., a report was received of a fire at Arlington Oregon Church of the Nazarene located at 600 Main Street.
A Gilliam County deputy and fire personnel from Arlington, Condon, Boardman, and Sherman County responded with an estimated 20 firefighters and four fire apparatus.
The church structure was extensively damaged and is considered a total loss. It is believed to have been built in the 1890s and is the oldest building in downtown Arlington. Information about the Arlington Oregon Church of the Nazarene is available on the church’s website http://www.arnazarene.org/ .
The church building was undergoing repairs from an early morning suspicious fire on July 9 , 2013. It is unknown if the fires are related.
Authorities in the town of about 600 people said in July that four buildings, including the church, were damaged in a two-month period by fires believed to have been set.
No other information about the latest fire is anticipated for release at this time, pending the initial fire scene investigation to determine fire cause.
