Fire razes church

Fire razes church

DENPASAR, Bali: Fire razed the Efrata church in Buduk village,
Badung district, some 15 km southwest of here, Wednesday.

No casualties were reported but material losses were
estimated to reach Rp 500 million (US$217,000), spokesman for the
Balinese Synod of the Protestant Church, Wayan Sudira Usada,
said.

The fire raged as the Christian community in the predominantly
Hindu island was celebrating Christmas, Antara reported.

The two-hour fire, believed to have been caused by a candle
left burning after the Christmas holy mass that morning, started
burning the electrical wires at 4:30 p.m.

The church, built in 1931, was the oldest Protestant church on
the island.

Last year, a fire also burned down a Protestant church in
Legian, Kuta during Christmas, Sudira said.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are underway. (swe)