4 fires set at DeKalb church, official says

Local and federal officials are investigating after someone intentionally set four fires at a DeKalb County church.

The fires happened Tuesday night at Restoration Ministries Church in the 4300 block of Mercer Road near Decatur, DeKalb fire Capt. Eric Jackson said.

Firefighters got a call about smoke in the area and later determined it was coming from the church’s shed. They also noticed other fires on the property, Jackson said.

One was near the front door of the church and two others were in a nearby field.

"That was an immediate signal for us to call our fire investigators,” Jackson said.

It took about 10 minutes to extinguish the shed fire. While no one was injured, the shed was destroyed.

Because the fires happened on church property and there were multiple points of origin, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting in the investigation.

Restoration Ministries has been at its current location since 2002, said Perry Scott, the church’s pastor. He questioned why anyone would want to set a church on fire.

“I’m angry,” Scott said.

Church services will continue as normal, he said.