Church destroyed by fire in Surrey

SURREY — Firefighters in Surrey had to work quickly to keep an early morning fire from spreading to nearby buildings but they could not save the church where the blaze began.

Surrey Fire Service assistant chief Shelley Morris says the St. George Coptic Orthodox Church was engulfed in flames by the time crews arrived at 3:30 a.m. on Monday. She says the roof of the church has collapsed.

The Mounties say they are treating the blaze as suspicious.

The RCMP say the church was the target of an attempted arson on Wednesday as video showed a female suspect lighting items on fire at the door early that morning.