Church bus catches fire in Burbank; cause under investigation

Authorities are investigating whether arson was a factor in a bus fire reported behind a Burbank church early Thursday morning, police said.

Just after midnight, police and firefighters were called to the back alley of the Fellowship Church of Burbank, located on the 300 block of Angeleno Avenue, where the passenger bus was on fire, said Burbank Police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.

Firefighters reportedly extinguished the bus blaze before it could spread.

The church hosts four different congregations, including those that host services in Korean, Arabic and Armenian, according to Worship Leader Nate Frey. All of them are Southern Baptist.

The bus that burned belonged to the Middle Eastern Fellowship Church, which uses it to take congregants on day trips to different places, like Santa Barbara and San Diego, Frey said.

Frey, who lives on site, woke up to the sirens, and shortly after, firefighters came to his door. At that point, they’d already extinguished the blaze.

Frey does not believe the church was targeted. In a sheltered corner nearby the bus, where Frey has seen homeless people trying to stay warm, a pair of jeans covering feces was found, he said.

“Our suspicion is that someone was either sheltering in or near that bus, and somehow started the fire,” Frey said.

The cause remains under investigation.

The blaze caused a power outage at the church, which may not be restored before the weekend, Frey said. Services, however, are still scheduled for the weekend, with or without power.

“I’m telling everyone to wear their Christmas sweaters,” Frey said.

Investigators are also working to determine the cause of another fire reported Thursday night outside a single-story commercial building on the 4400 block of West Magnolia Boulevard, said Burbank Fire Capt. Peter Hendrickson.

Shortly before 11 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the building, and quickly extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported.