Columbia church attic fire ruled accidental, caused by HVAC work; $5,500 in damage reported

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An attic fire at Columbia United Church of Christ earlier this week was determined to be accidental, according to a report from the Columbia Fire Department.

The report states that the Tuesday afternoon fire caused $5,500 in damage to the building and its contents. Factors contributing to the ignition included a heat source being too close to combustibles.

One of the reports say the fire was caused by HVAC work that occurred earlier in the day that involved a “torch heating material.” One of the reports from a fire marshal say the fire alarm system did not activate during the fire because of a low battery. A smoke detector was tested and the system tested normal when tried by fire officials, the report says.

No injuries were reported and a preschool class of 11 students was evacuated after the fire was found.