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No Indication Downtown Sacramento Church Fire Was Hate Crime, Investigators Say

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Investigators say they have found no evidence that the fire that damaged a church in Downtown Sacramento over the weekend was a hate crime.

The fire started just after 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Chinese Gospel Mission along the 1900 block of 15 Street.

Firefighters got to the scene and found that a fire had started on the outside of the building, then moved into the attic. Sacramento Fire crews battled the blaze for around an hour and were able to keep the flames from spreading to any other buildings.

On Monday, investigators announced their initial findings about the fire. It appears the flames did start in an enclosed patio near the back of the building, investigators say. While the building owner has had documented problems with homeless people in that area, investigators also say that they have found no evidence of human factors contributing to it.

Further, investigators said they have found no indications so far that the fire was the result of a hate crime.

Anyone with other information relevant to the case is urged to call the department at (916) 808-8732.

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