Fire hits Palin's church in Alaska

Fire hits Palin's church in Alaska - CNN.com

(CNN) -- A "suspicious" fire devastated the church attended by Alaska Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Friday night in her hometown of Wasilla, the church's minister said.

"We have no idea what caused it," the Rev. Larry Kroon of the
Wasilla Bible Church said Saturday, adding that investigators were
considering arson and other possible causes.

A ladies' craft group was in the building when the fire broke out, but they got out safely, Kroon said.

"No one was hurt," he said.

Central Mat-Su Fire Department Chief James Steele said the department
was "treating it as suspicious and as potential arson at this point"
but did not elaborate, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

The newspaper said Palin
released a statement after the fire in which she said she stopped by
the church Saturday morning and offered an apology to the assistant
pastor "if the incident is in any way connected to the undeserved
negative attention the church has received since she became a vice
presidential candidate."

Steele said that as many as 40
firefighters from his and neighboring departments fought the blaze,
which started about 9:40 p.m. Friday (1:40 a.m. ET Saturday).

Firefighters were on the scene dealing with hot spots until about 5 a.m. Saturday, the Anchorage Daily News reported...