Church Hit by Fire to Get Disney Help

Executives from the Walt Disney Co. met Tuesday with the pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which was extensively damaged in a fire, and offered to help finance the rebuilding.

Although the church is insured, the Rev. Windle Tucker said he is not sure the insurance will cover the more than $600,000 in damage from Monday’s fire.

If not, Disney will pay the remainder, said John Dreyer, a spokesman for the company.

The fire has raised concern about a possible link to the more than 160 fires that have burn black churches across the country during the past two years.

A task force--composed of LAPD detectives, arson investigators from the Fire Department and FBI and other federal agents--is investigating the cause of the blaze, but authorities said they do not know whether it is linked the other church burnings.

“Nothing has been ruled out at this point,” said Jim Wells, a Fire Department spokesman. “There are suspicious circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire, but no definite cause has yet been established.”

Michael Eisner, Disney’s chief executive, surveyed the damage Tuesday and offered his company’s services to Tucker.

“If it turns out to be a criminal act, that is just aggravating, annoying and something this community cannot put up with,” Eisner said.

“And if it is that, whoever did it will find that it will be back as it was before quicker than they ever thought possible.”

About 10 building, engineering and architectural specialists from Disney Imagineering also examined damage at the church.

“This design group does all our theme parks, resorts and stores . . . and we offered their services to the church,” Dreyer said.

Most of the damage was confined to the church’s sanctuary, which was 90% destroyed, Tucker said.

Times wire services contributed to this story.