The Duncan Banner

Local News

September 21, 2008

Sunday update: Arrest made in Waurika church fire

State fire marshall to be in Waurika Monday

Jeff Kaley

WAURIKA — A 19-year-old Texas man was arrested Saturday night in the Wichita Falls area and incarcerated at Wichita County Jail, in connection with a suspicious fire at the First United Methodist Church in Waurika.

Waurika Police Chief Earnest Tolle said agents of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation made the arrest after 10 p.m. Saturday, less than 18 hours after a fire damaged the interior of the church on the corner of East D and Pine streets in Waurika.

“I was thrilled to hear the OSBI went to Texas and was able to make an arrest so quickly. It all went pretty good,” said Tolle, who had begun an investigation of the fire shortly after it was reported Saturday. “The Oklahoma State Fire Marshall investigator is supposed to be in Waurika Monday.

“The fire looked suspicious from the start.”

The name of the suspect was not known today. He was to go before a judge for an extradition hearing Monday, which could lead to being returned to Oklahoma to face charges in Waurika.

Waurika firefighters answered a fire alarm at First United Methodist Church about 5 a.m. Saturday. They found the south end of the structure ablaze and considerable smoke throughout the building.

The fire was brought under control in less than an hour, with an initial examination revealing that a storage room, the choir room and part of the sanctuary had received heavy fire damage. Other parts of the building suffered smoke damage.

Shortly after the fire was brought under control, Tolle discovered evidence that led him to suspect the fire was intentionally started.

The State Fire Marshall’s office was contacted at that time and later the OSBI.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department provided traffic control during and after the fire.

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