Cumberland County RCMP and the Collingwood Volunteer Fire Department were called to a fire at the River Philip United Church on Wyvern Street in River Philip at 2:20 a.m. “RCMP officers learned the structure was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire and the structure is a total loss,” Cpl. Chris Marshall said in a press release. A video posted to Facebook by the RCMP shows flames reaching the rafters in the ruined building. The church was built in 1862 and the Christian community it supports dates back to 1775. Although it was not an active church, a funeral was held there last week. The Nova Scotia Bureau of Fire Marshal is assisting the RCMP to investigate. Marshall said it was the sixth suspicious fire in the Collingwood/River Philip area since August 5. The RCMP investigates all fires. They asked anyone who knows more about the fires to call local RCMP at 902-597-3779 or report anonymously to Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online. MORE TOP STORIES
