CLEVELAND — The massive fire that destroyed the historic Friendship Baptist Church on Cleveland’s East Side was intentionally set, and arrests are imminent, according to Cleveland Fire.
Fire crews were met with flames shooting from every angle at the vacant church around 2 a.m. on Aug. 21, at East 55th Street and Central Avenue.
Watch the full video below:
RELATED: Fire destroys vacant church in Cleveland
Over the weekend, a social media post raised questions about the fire. That picture, which shows flames and names the church, is now evidence related to the fire, according to Cleveland Fire.
On Monday, people stopped by to take pictures of the rubble.
Genevieve Mitchell placed flowers and a handwritten message at the site.
"This building is just such an amazing, sacred place,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell, who lives nearby, said she was awakened to flames shooting from the roof and watched the building burn alongside neighbors.
"It was surreal. To see it in rubble, to see, to see it torn down like this — it’s heartbreaking,” Mitchell said.
Juanita Rucker stopped to snap a memory she’d rather not have on her phone.
"I’m just sad. My mom and my dad was married in this church. I still don’t understand how it just got burnt up,” Rucker said.
Professional photographer Johnny Joo said people have messaged him about the picture circulating on social media.
Joo appreciates the beauty of historic buildings and a few years ago took pictures at the church.
"It was really just beautiful architecture, just a really beautiful building. It is kind of unfortunate because we keep losing more and more of that in Cleveland,” Joo said.
He wondered about the picture too.
"I guess the account that it was shared from was deleted right away, and it had one follower,” Joo said.
One step in what Cleveland Fire called a dynamic investigation was to verify the photo.
"By that picture, it seems like an intentional fire, I mean. No one’s starting a fire in a building in the summer to stay warm,“ Joo said.
Part of Mitchell’s message at the foot of the rubble reads, "The death of this amazing historic church to fire has deeply affected this community."
For Rucker, it’s affected her in more ways than one.
"Like part of me left with it,” Rucker said.
Cleveland Fire said arrests could come in the next couple of days.
