OGDEN — An April 24 fire in a crawlspace under a stairwell at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ogden damaged the building’s exterior, but no one was injured in the blaze.
The crawl space was used primarily for storing bricks and other supplies, said Judy Franquelin, the parish’s office manager.
The Ogden Fire Department estimated that the fire caused about $10,000 of damage to the building. The damage to the inside stairwell affects the soundness of the structure, Franquelin said.
It is suspected that the fire was started by someone who had been sleeping in the crawlspace and lit a candle that started the blaze, Franquelin said.
The fire was discovered around 5 p.m., when a parishioner smelled smoke and investigated, she said.
“Someone opened up the door to the stairwell and smoke poured out,” said Franquelin, adding that the church now reeks of smoke.
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