Fire at First United Methodist Church in Red Bluff; Satanist arrested

A self-proclaimed Satanist was arrested Thursday after starting a fire at the First United Methodist Church in Red Bluff as a statement against organized religion.

Jodie Glenn Houtman, 38, was booked into Tehama County Jail on the charges of arson, possession of an incendiary device and hate crime. No one was injured in the fire, which was first reported at 7:44 a.m. at the David Avenue church.

Firefighters initially considered the fire to be suspicious because the church is not normally occupied at that time of day and there were no church members present at the time, Battalion Chief and Tehama County Fire Marshal Matt Chamblin said.

The investigation led to arrest of Houstman, who told investigators he started the fire as a statement against organized religion, according to a Red Bluff Police Department press release. First units arrived on scene at 7:48 a.m. to find the roof on fire and the interior full of smoke, according to a press release issued by Red Bluff Fire Chief Jon Bennett. The fire was contained at 8:05 a.m.

Initial attack crews made a quick stop of the fire, confining it to a small area of the roof before spending about an hour overhauling the fire area.

In addition to damage in the roof, there was damage to a window and bracing that supported the roof, smoke damage to the interior and broken glass from a door where emergency crews forced entry, Bennett said.

The roof of the church was a major project

for the church about two years ago when construction was done to stabilize it, said Ben Hughes, chairman of the church's board.

Construction to stabilize the roof cost about $20,000, but the roof was still in need of repair, he said.

"This has been a long haul," Hughes said. "The city's building inspector has already inspected the building and he said once the smoke damage is cleaned out it's safe enough to hold a service Sunday and that's what we'll do."

Investigations are a joint effort between Red Bluff Fire, CalFire and Tehama County Fire, Shobash

In total two engines, a ladder truck and 12 personnel responded from Red Bluff Fire with two engines and eight personnel assisting from CalFire and one squad truck and two people from Tehama County Fire Department.

The fire did $10,000 in damage.

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Staff Writer Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115, or at jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com
Follow Julie on Twitter @DN_Zeeb

Source: http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_21538575/fire-at-first-united-methodist-church-red-bluff?source=rss_viewed

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