RAYMOND – Almost a month after a small fire ignited on the rear wall of the Raymond Hill Baptist Church – built in 1834 and one of the oldest churches in Maine – investigators are still conducting interviews searching for the culprit in what they say was arson.

According to Sgt. Joel Davis of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, which is busy investigating several arsons in Maine, including the Old Orchard Beach nightclub fire that occurred a few days after the Raymond fire, no arrests have yet been made. “We’re still conducting the investigation, pursuing leads,” Davis said.

Not wanting to compromise the investigation, Davis was unwilling to divulge any details that led investigators to deem the Raymond fire an arson the day after the fire occurred. Firefighters from Raymond and a half-dozen surrounding towns started fighting the stubborn fire at around 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 26. A week earlier, Raymond firefighters also extinguished a small brush fire behind the church, although investigators have not publicly linked the two incidents.

While the investigation continues, so does the laborious cleanup at the church. The families that have maintained the church property for several decades – the Baker and Whittemore families – report that insurance is helping fund restoration of the church structure inside and out. A three-man crew from McHatton’s Water Out of Southern Maine, which is based in Bridgton and owned by Bob McHatton Jr., is just ending a two-week cleanup of the 1834 building. According to McHatton, the team had to first dry the structure thoroughly before removing smoke damage. They used wire brushes to remove soot from the plaster walls, sprayed all surfaces with a deodorizer and then sealed the walls and ceiling with a polyurethane spray.

“The fire departments did an unbelievable job to save the building,” McHatton said. “If there was anyone to thank here, it’d be them.”

Deb Baker, who has gone to the church for most of her life and whose parents, Sam and Florence Whittemore, cared for the building prior to turning it over to Baker and her husband, said while insurance is helping to pay for restoration of the structure, damage to furniture and hymn books will require additional money. To that end, a special fund has been set up at Key Bank in Raymond entitled, “Raymond Hill Baptist Church Special Project.” Baker said $426 has so far been deposited in the account to help pay for anything insurance doesn’t cover.

“New hymnals, pictures, pews, a new organ, that’s what we’re trying to replace with this money,” she said. “We invite anyone to donate.”

Like McHatton, Baker credits quick work by first responders for the limited damage to the church. While the back wall of the church and two of the eight large windows were damaged, the structure is mostly untouched except for smoke and fire damage.

“Kudos go to the Raymond Fire Department and others who responded,” Baker said. “Yes, we’ll have to replace some of the items, but they were also able to save several items like the old Bible and some of the furniture, so everyone has been extremely helpful and went above and beyond.”

Looking like astronauts in airtight space-age suits, with light
reflecting off the dust floating above them, the cleanup crew from
McHatton’s Water Out of Southern Maine have spent the last two
weeks drying the Raymond Hill Baptist Church and then scrubbing the
inside of the church to remove soot from the plastered walls and
other surfaces. From left are Adam Charest, Gorden Buchanan and
Wesley Landry. (Staff photo by John Balentine)