Investigators are examining whether a fire at a Connecticut mosque over the weekend was the result of arson.
Some evidence has already been recovered indicating that the Diyanet Mosque in New Haven was a deliberate act, New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said on Monday. State and federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation, he said.
“We are taking this very serious,” New Haven interim Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said. “We are working with our federal and state partners to make sure there is no underlying issue to the greater community and to the greater religious community.”
The fire broke out Sunday afternoon, starting on the first floor and spreading to the second, leaving the building unusable. Although the front of the mosque was under construction at the time, certain areas were accessible to worshippers.
The one person who was in the building when the fire started was able to escape unharmed.
The fire took place during the holy month of Ramadan, which started on May 5 and concludes on June 4.
