DILLON, W.Va. — A Sunday morning fire that destroyed an historic Raleigh County church building is being investigated as an arson.
According to the Beaver Volunteer Fire Department, the Saint Colman Catholic Church building along Irish Spring Road in Dillon, not far from Shady Spring, was already on the ground and smoldering when firefighters arrived on the scene Sunday morning.
The church, built in 1877-78, is on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that came in 1984. Services are no longer held there.
State police and the state Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the arson. Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper D. Daniels at (304) 256-6700, the WV State Fire Marshal’s Arson Hotline at 1 (800) 233-3473 or Crime Stoppers of Raleigh County at 304-255-STOP or crimestopperswv.com.
The Beaver VFD was assisted on the scene by Ghent VFD, Coal City VFD, Ghent EMS, National Park Service and state police.
Reporter Keith Thompson of WJLS contributed to this story.