More than two years after an act of arson significantly damaged St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Minnesota, authorities announced they have charged a juvenile suspect. The juvenile was 13 years old at the time of the fire.
At 4:43 p.m. on March 11, 2016, Stearns County authorities received a 911 call reporting heavy smoke coming from the church. A second caller reported flames coming from the same area.
Several agencies responded to the blaze and had it contained by 8:30 p.m.
Officials began investigating the blaze, which caused several millions of dollars worth of damage to the 118-year-old Romanesque Revival-style church. About a week and a half after the fire, investigators officially classified it as an arson.
The church was a fixture in the City of Melrose with its 130-foot towers. The fire significantly damaged the altar and sacristy area. The wood altar, which was made in Germany and installed prior to the churches dedication in 1899, was completed destroyed.