Free Reformed Church of Bunbury may not be repairable after fire believed to be deliberately lit devastates

The Free Reformed Church of Bunbury’s headquarters may be beyond repair after a suspected arson attack early on Tuesday. Authorities were called to the fire at 4.15am, with five crews from the Bunbury Fire and Rescue Service attending. Arson investigators were on site on Tuesday assessing the property and WA Police were treating the incident as suspicious. Minister of the Free Reformed Church of Bunbury the Rev. Richard Pot said it was shocking and disappointing. “It’s always sad when people will act in a way that causes deliberate damage to property or to other people — thankfully, no people were hurt,” he said. “You look up, you can see daylight, you look down through the floorboards where they’ve been burnt, you can see the significant smoke damage and water damage, as well as things that have just simply been burnt — the piano has been ruined, the roof is black. “It’s extensive damage, for sure.” The congregation has been using the Dalyellup College gymnasium for its Sunday services in recent years after outgrowing the Carey Park building. But it was regularly used throughout the week for meetings, teaching, bible study and a book club which must now relocate. “Maybe some of those will happen in people’s homes or at different venues for different activities depending on the need,” Mr Pot said. “We’ve got a lot of active members in our church who are always ready to step up and help find solutions. “As a church, our identity isn’t found in the building — we use the building, but we are first of all a community of people. “While being unable to use a building will have practical implications as a church community, we will continue to seek to carry out our tasks towards God, but also in helping and supporting one another and also helping and supporting others in the community around us.” Mr Pot said he was concerned by the increasing number of targeted attacks on churches and religions in Australia. “I think the consequences are going to be dire,” he said. “We are seeing increasing amount of lawlessness and lack of respect for other people, for property of others, and the rights and values of others. “It’s sad that we’re seeing an increasing rejection of Christianity as a whole, because it could have significant consequences for our culture, which is founded ultimately on a lot of those principles.” Anyone with information on the incident can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 and any CCTV, mobile phone or dash cam footage relating to the fire can be uploaded directly to detectives online.