ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. ? A church in Rockingham County that was damaged in an early-morning fire, officials have confirmed.
According to police, the fire was intentionally set.
Firefighters responded to 316 Witty Rd. around 8:15 a.m. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they discovered the fire was ?fully-involved? and an outbuilding was destroyed.
Rockingham County Fire Marshall Robert Cardwell said a neighbor noticed smoke and called 911.
Cardwell said there is also structural damage to the church.
?Within probably 15 to 20 minutes the church itself would have probably suffered a lot more damage that it did,? Cardwell said. ?This area is a drop off point for a lot of school buses to pick up, so it?s a very unusual thing for this fire to occur when it did. ?
Cardwell said if the fire had continued for another 15 minutes, the church would have been destroyed.
This is one of five church fires in Rockingham County and Guilford County over the past two months, with the most recent incident at Gideon Grove Church on Jan. 7.
Cardwell said the fire at Bethany United Church is different than the previous fire, because it was lit in broad daylight.
Police are still looking for an early to mid-2000 model silver Nissan Altima with Virginia license plates that was seen in the area of the church around 8 a.m.
Only one tip has been submitted about the church fires in Rockingham County. A $10,000 reward is still being offered for information leading to arrest in the recent church fires.
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