Crime & Safety
Arson Suspected In Santa Rosa Historic Church Fire: SRFD
Based on a preliminary investigation, the fire at Church of the One Tree appears to be an intentional act, the fire department said.
SANTA ROSA, CA — Arson is suspected in a Monday night fire at a historic church in Santa Rosa, the fire department said.
Just before 8 p.m., the Santa Rosa Fire Department was sent to the Church of the One Tree after a fire alarm was triggered. Reports began coming in saying there was a fire at the back of the church.
Crews arrived and found a fire in the rear of the structure involving an exterior wall, Battalion Chief Paul Ricci said. The blaze was extinguished, but chainsaws had to be employed to open a portion of the wall to check for any fire spread. None was found.
Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatifor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Based on a preliminary investigation, the fire appears to be an intentional act, the fire department said.
The church was built in 1873 from lumber milled from a single redwood tree and it served as the First Baptist Church. It later became a "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" museum. Currently the building is a landmark and is used for events, Ricci said.
Copyright © 2025 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
