ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Financial Services Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations is asking for help identifying a man believed to be involved in a fire that was set at an abandoned church in Pine Hills last month.
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Orange County Fire Rescue crews responded to reports of a fire at the Northwestern Learning Center at 2332 North Hiawassee Rd. shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 8. They arrived to find visible smoke and flames coming from a 20,0000 square foot building.
The fire was quickly knocked down, but not before approximately 80-percent of the structure was damaged, including a complete collapse of the roof. The rest of the building was damaged by smoke.
According to Orange County Fire Rescue, the building had been abandoned, so there was no one was inside at the time and no injuries reported.
In the month since the fire occurred, investigators say they’ve determined it was set intentionally.
On Friday, the Department of Financial Services Division of Investigative and Forensic Services shared photographs of a man believed to be involved in the arson, in an attempt to get help identifying him.
They’re asking anyone with information on the man’s identity to call Detective Anthony Kemeny at (407) 316-4810 or (321) 503-5378, reference case number 24-478.
The same church previously caught fire in 2021.
It was previously owned by the Agape Church, but after issues with fraud and funding, it was shut down and sat vacant for four years before the fire in February.
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“I’m the first person that came up on the fire,” said Omar Mullings who lives next door. “The south wing in the back was going up in a blaze.”
People who remember the church when it was filled with parishioners and children hope there’s a way to resurrect it from the ashes.
“Give it a lifted face and not a face for gloom,” Mullings said.
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