Arson suspected in B’klyn church blaze

Firefighters at the church this morning

Firefighters at the church this morning (Seth Gottfried)

Arson is suspected in a blaze that damaged a historic Brooklyn church today, authorities said.

Someone poured gasoline around the front doors of The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew on Clinton Ave. before lighting the fire at around 3:30 a.m.

Firefighters were at the Episcopal church within minutes. The blaze went to a second alarm at about 4:30 a.m. and was declared under control an hour later. More than 100 firefighters were called to the scene.

“Why do people do things like this? Why does darkness cloud their hearts?” said the Rev. Christopher Ballard, who added that two cans of gasoline were found near the front entrance. “Hopefully, we will have Christmas mass tomorrow.”

Three Occupy Sandy volunteers were sleeping in the church to guard relief items, but were able to escape from the back of the church. A priest who lives at the church was in Long Island at the time.

“I was in a kind of shock,” said John Chappelle, 29, one of the volunteers. “As I got closer to the doorway, the smoke was strong. The first thing was trying to make sure everyone got out.”

Police said no arrests have been made and no suspects identified.

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