BREWSTER, Mass. (WHDH) — A Cape Cod church was destroyed Friday by a fierce fire investigators said was intentionally set.
The Cape Cod Brewster Bible Alliance Church has been standing for about 25 years, but was reduced to rubble after a fire broke out around 3 a.m. Friday. What little remained of the structure was torn down and from Sky7 it looks like the church was hit by a tornado.
“There’s no words. I mean, it’s devastating. You can’t get your mind around it,” said Leslie Botsford.
The fire marshal said the fire was intentionally set, adding confusion to the shock.
"You look at the rubble and it’s hard to process that and see you know, where do you go from here what do you do with that and to think that somebody would’ve done it and those kinds of things, that’s a lot to think about,” said Derek Mansker, youth pastor.
No one was hurt in the early morning fire, but the pastor, residents and parishioners are devastated.
“It’s a significant loss emotionally because of the memories that are there. The baptisms and weddings and just the routines we have every week meeting with people and the kids ministries that go on, Sunday School,” said Rev. Myron Heckman. “You try to search your mind and say are we the enemy to somebody and we don’t know anybody like that, so was it random? Those answers may come in the days ahead."
Pastor Hickman met with about two dozen members of the congregation and elders. They're already talking about rebuilding.
"Nothing of eternal value was lost. We can rebuild buildings,” said Dave Maczko. "We're looking forward to see what God's gonna do."
The church has about 360 parishioners. There has been an outpouring of community support and the city of Brewster offered them an elementary school to hold mass this weekend.
The church has insurance and is planning to rebuild.