THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 TAG: 9606190371
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 28 lines
The fire marshal is investigating a small fire early Tuesday in a shrub at a predominantly white church in Portlock.
Firefighters were called to Rosemont Christian Church in the 3500 block of Bainbridge Blvd. about 12:15 a.m. and put out the fire with an extinguisher, authorities said.
A plastic bag apparently was lit and the flames spread to a bush, said Chesapeake Fire Marshal Thomas H. Cooke. The church structure was not damaged. Firefighters are trying to determine if an accelerant was used.
``Probably it's going to involve just juveniles,'' Cooke said. ``It appears to me to be a copy-cat crime because of the coverage of church fires in the media.''
The suspected arson occurred as federal officials are investigating fires at about two dozen predominantly white churches and 38 predominantly black churches during the same 18 months.
Authorities say racism seems to be a motive in many black church burnings, but there is no clear pattern among the white church fires. Experts say perpetrators could include thrill-seekers, copycats and people motivated by ethnic hatred. Often they are adolescents.
Anyone with information about the Chesapeake fire should call the fire marshal's office at 547-6165. by CNB