Arson Investigation Starts After MA Church Destroyed On Easter

CAMBRIDGE, MA — The fire that swallowed Faith Lutheran Church on Easter Sunday is considered suspicious and investigators are seeking the public's help in gathering information, Cambridge Fire officials announced in a news release Tuesday.

At around 5:30 p.m. April 9—hours after Faith Lutheran had its Easter service—a fire broke out at the church and quickly grew to six alarms, requiring a massive Cambridge Fire Department response as well as help from crews from a dozen other cities and towns.

Officials worked to battle the blaze until 4 a.m. the following day. The damage was so extensive that the steeple had to be removed, though no injuries were reported.

“We are asking anyone with information on this fire, or who made observations in the area of the church that Sunday evening, to share it with investigators,” said Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas F. Cahill Jr. “No piece of information is too small to share. We are keenly aware that any place of worship is a cornerstone of the community, and we want to reassure residents that we’re approaching this case with the seriousness and gravity that it deserves.”

Tips can be made to the FBI’s toll-free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov. Investigators are also asking anyone with photographs or videos of the scene, including the day before the fire, the day of the fire, and during the firefighting operations, to submit them to fbi.gov/cambridgechurchfire.