Church Reacts to Torched Cars

A portion of the New Life Presbyterian Church parking lot still smells strongly of old smoke … the kind of smoke that’s usually accompanied by a visit from the fire department. 

 — a Mercury Mountaineer and a Volvo station wagon — both of which were parked in the Jenkintown Road side of the Glenside church’s lot. The fire then spread to two other vehicles, a nearby fence and a tree. There were several vehicles parked in a row; many of them were older Volvos and many of them were slated to be fixed up and donated, as part of the church’s diaconal ministry.

New Life Presbyterian Church Administrator Martha Cochran said she got text from the church’s facilities manager Monday morning about the fire. She said she was surprised, but doesn’t think the church was specifically “targeted." 

“Oh my goodness, I was totally surprised … it makes no sense,” Cochran, and Abington resident, said. “The first thing that went through my mind — now this is just me musing, not fact — but I did have someone in the neighborhood call and complain because they said there were kids doing marijuana in the car. That person didn’t leave her name.”

As for the church being targeted, Cochran said, “Our minibus was right in the line [of destroyed vehicles] and that would have been more of a statement. I guess kids see what they think are abandoned cars, and they say, ‘Let’s burn them up.’”

Cochran said the church has filed an insurance claim and the four vehicles affected by the fire are scheduled to be removed and destroyed Thursday morning. Cochran said she is also waiting to see whose insurance company will pay for their neighbors’ burnt fence and tree.

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The church has been fixing up older vehicles and donating them for about 20 years as part of its diaconal ministry. Cochran estimates that the church has donated an average of six vehicles per year over that time. The cars, which are repaired deacon Ed Coley, are usually given to a needy member of the church, though the church will reach out to the community if it has extra vehicles. 

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The fire is under investigation by Abington Police, Abington Fire Marshal, and Montgomery County Detectives. Anyone with information about the arson is asked to contact Abington Police Department Detective Division at 267-536-1100, selection #4. Callers may remain anonymous.