Gov. Sarah Palin 's home church was badly damaged by arson , leading Ms. Palin to apologize if the fire was connected to `undeserved negative attention ' the church received during her campaign as the Republican vice-presidential nominee .
Ms. Palin
gov. sarah palin home church badly damage arson lead ms. palin apologize fire connect `undeserved negative attention church receive her campaign republican vice-presidential nominee
Gov. Sarah Palin 's home church was badly damaged by arson , leading <m> Ms. Palin </m> to apologize if the fire was connected to `undeserved negative attention ' the church received during her campaign as the Republican vice-presidential nominee .
Gov. Sarah Palin 's home church was badly damaged by arson , leading <m> Ms. Palin </m> to apologize if the fire was connected to `undeserved negative attention ' the church received during her campaign as the Republican vice-presidential nominee .
Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $ 1 million , authorities said Saturday .
No one was injured in the fire , which was set Friday night while a handful of people , including two children , were inside , according to the Central Mat-Su fire chief , James Steele .
Chief Steele said that the blaze was being investigated as an arson but that he did not know of any recent threats to the church .
The authorities also did not know whether Ms. Palin 's connection to the church was relevant to the fire , he said .
Chief Steele would not comment on the means used to set the fire .
The church 's pastor , Larry Kroon , declined to say whether the church had received any recent threats .
Ms. Palin , who was not at the church at the time of the fire , stopped by Saturday .
Her spokesman , Bill McAllister , said in a statement that the Alaska governor told an assistant pastor she was sorry if the fire was connected to her candidacy .
`` Whatever the motives of the arsonist , '' Mr. McAllister said , `` the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good . ''
The 1,000-member evangelical church was the subject of intense scrutiny after Ms. Palin was named Senator John McCain 's running mate .
Early in her campaign , the church was criticized for promoting in a Sunday bulletin a Focus on the Family `` Love Won Out Conference '' in Anchorage .
The conference promised to `` help men and women dissatisfied with living homosexually understand that same-sex attractions can be overcome . ''
The fire was set at the entrance of the church and moved inward as a small group of women were working on crafts , Chief Steele said .
The group was alerted to the fire by an alarm .
Outside temperatures were minus 20 as firefighters battled the blaze .