Fire at oldest Protestant church in southern Alberta 'likely accidental,' say RCMP

Cochrane RCMP say the fire that destroyed a historical church near Morley, Alta., on the weekend was"likely accidental."

The McDougall Stoney Mission Church caught fire early Mondaymorning.

It was the oldest Protestant church in southern Albertaand was located west of Cochraneon Highway 1A.

"There is no evidence to suggest that the fire was deliberately set," said RCMP in a release, adding the investigation has been concluded.

Church officials, however, said Tuesday that assessment caught them off guard.

"The original firefighters who called our president yesterday said they suspected it was arson," said Sarah Harvey, a volunteer and board member with the McDougall Stoney Mission Society.

"Finding that statement from the RCMP today was shocking because it conflicted all of our beliefs. We're not fire investigators but you look at that scene and I don't know how something like that can be accidental."

Harvey said the boardhad not been contacted by RCMPon Tuesday and their insurance company is conducting its own investigation.

Theinvestigator who worked on the case also says the fire department's investigationcould last months, butthe cause will probably come down to "inappropriate use of, or disposal of, an unknown ignition source" not arson.

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