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Few Clues In Arson At Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The Aurora Fire Department would like the public's help in their arson investigation at a place of worship.

The Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall at Yale and Truckee in Aurora burned earlier this month.

Fire fighters responded quickly to the Kingdom Hall in Aurora. The front of the building was badly damaged and little evidence was left behind.

"I have no idea what possible motivations people have. We don't know if it was a target of convenience of if they were going after this target specifically," Cpt. Allen Robnett with the Aurora Fire Department said.

Fire investigators say witnesses have given them their best leads, but they're vague at best.

"There was a report of a white van behind the structure prior to the fire, and the light was flashing," Robnett said.

When CBS4 arrived on the scene Wednesday a white van was spotted almost immediately. Aurora Water has a project next door, but the water company says it couldn't have been their employees mistaken for suspects because none of their vans were logged out when the fire happened. They say they haven't been interviewed by investigators.

"My concern is for all those who support this Kingdom Hall," Jehovah's Witness member Larry Goss said.

The building was built in just a matter of days, but now it could be much longer before its congregation can return.

"This is our center of worship, as well as our center for preaching," Goss said. "It's going to affect a lot of people."

Investigators say the Kingdom Hall fire has no connection to the fire that heavily damaged the Saint Malo Catholic Retreat in Allenspark that happened last month. Investigators think that fire started in a chimney and was pushed by strong winds.

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