Sarah Palin's church hit by fire

Monday, December 15, 2008

The Alaska church where former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attends services was reportedly severely damaged by an arson fire.

Alaska Gov. Palin said through a spokesman she was sorry for the blaze if it was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her VP campaign, the Associated Press reports.

Her spokesman Bill McAllister said in a statement that Palin told an assistant pastor she was sorry if her vice presidential campaign had anything to do with the blaze. "Whatever the motives of the arsonist, the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good," McAllister said.

Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church in Anchorage was estimated at $1 million, authorities said. No one was injured in the fire, which was set Friday night while a handful of people were inside, the AP quoted fire officials as saying. Palin was not at the church at the time of the fire but she stopped by on Saturday.

The blaze was being investigated as an arson but church officials declined to say whether the church had received any recent threats, the AP said.