Police are investigating a fire at a Haverhill church and they believe the church may have been targeted.
Firefighters said accelerant was found around the perimeter of Riverside Church sometime early Tuesday morning and set it on fire. Pastor Paul Soucy said the damage would have been worse if firefighters did not arrive there so quickly.
"It really drives a stake in the heart of someone’s worship experience," said Soucy.
Soucy said the original Riverside Church was built in 1907 and destroyed by arson back in 1970. This time, the sanctuary only had smoke damage. The education and fellowship rooms took the brunt of the fire’s damage.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for any information on who is behind the suspicious fire. Soucy said he will also be raising money to install security cameras.
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