Dallas Fire Department investigators said they're trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed an Oak Cliff church Friday morning.
Firefighters responded to the Deliverance Missionary Baptist Church in the 2600 block of East Ann Arbor Avenue at about 4:52 a.m., authorities said. Senior pastor Kenneth Andrews said the church, which was not insured, had been at that location for 35 years and had about 80 active members.
"I got a call by one of my neighbors that my church was on fire," he said. "The church is a total loss."
Andrews said the church has had problems with people breaking in and suspects the fire was arson.
"It saddens my heart," he said. "I think someone had set it on fire."
Officials said they searched the building and believe it was unoccupied.
