Early Friday morning, a blaze tore through the New Testament Missionary Baptist Church on the east side of San Antonio, leaving behind an estimated $50,000 in damages and raising suspicions of arson. According to a statement obtained by KENS5, the fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the church located at 1200 E. Crockett Street, where officials reported an eyewitness seeing a suspect flee the scene as the flames erupted.

A security guard who was ostensibly staying inside the church at the time of the incident pursued the alleged arsonist but had to halt the chase to alert the authorities, officials say.

Firefighters arrived to confront significant fire activity, primarily at the back of the church where band equipment and lighting were significantly damaged, as reported by FOX San Antonio.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by local arson and fire officials, with no injuries reported in the incident. The New Testament Missionary Baptist Church, a fixture in the community, now faces the aftermath of the event that scorched much of its interior.

As investigators comb through evidence to piece together the events that led to the fire, the community feels the impact of this potential act of malice against a local place of worship. The full extent of the damage is not yet fully known, though preliminary figures suggest $50,000 worth of destruction. The investigation continues.