Members of the Anchovy Apostolic House of Prayer and Praise clear rubble from the burnt-out building yesterday, hours after a fire. (Photo: Alan Lewin)

ANCHOVY, St James - A fire, believed to be arson, destroyed the Anchovy Apostolic House of Prayer and Praise early yesterday morning.

According to church officials, the fire razed the wooden building as well as an adjoining 45-foot container that housed an office, a kitchen, a bathroom, musical instruments, and food supplies for a tuck shop operated by
the church.

They estimated the losses at $12 million.
One female member who resides at the manse on the church premises said she was awakened by strange sounds "coming from the direction of the church" at approximately 3:00 am yesterday. She said she alerted the St James Fire Department when she realised the church was on fire.

"I heard some movements coming from the church and (when my son] peeped through the window, he saw fire coming from the container and brought it to my attention. It was blazing and we called the fire brigade, but by the time they came the fire just spread quickly and reached the church. The building just crumbled," she told the Observer, adding that thieves last year raided the container and stole a desktop computer.

Up to late yesterday, deputy superintendent of the St James Fire Department, Lloyd Scott, said they were still "piecing together information" to determine the cause of the blaze. The church had more than 200 members.

Meanwhile, the Hanover police yesterday said they were still investigating the circumstances behind a fire Monday night that destroyed an eight-apartment house in Cacoon which was owned and occupied by 51-year-old farmer Ethlyn McGowan and her two sons.

According to the police, one of McGowan's son saw the blaze on his way home and called the Lucea Fire Department which cooled down the fire. Losses were estimated at $4 million.