An investigation into the fire at Petersburg’s Catholic church last week concluded that the blaze was caused by maintenance work happening outside the building.
A statement released Wednesday by Petersburg’s fire marshal, Ryan Welde, said the July 6 fire at the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church started on Dolphin Street and was accidental in nature.
From there, the fire moved up the wall through the foam insulation inside the vinyl siding. It continued into the building’s attic space and then spread over the roof.
Welde’s statement noted that an investigator representing the church’s insurance company reached the same conclusions.
St. Catherine’s congregation will celebrate mass at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church this weekend.
Father Thomas Jose was living at the church when it burned down last week. He’ll move to a residence at Petersburg’s Presbyterian Church, and says services for the congregation of St. Catherine of Siena will likely move to that location in the weeks to come.
