Press Release: Lexington Police Department arrests suspect in church fire
UPDATE:
LEXINGTON, NC – On Sunday, November 12, 2023, Lexington Police Officers arrested 42-year-old Aimee Lakey concerning a fire on Main Street on October 28. Lakey was charged with burning of a church, and bond has been set at $25,000. The church is owned by Jesus Comes First Ministries. The original information from Lexington Fire Department is included below.
Background
On Saturday, October 28, at approximately 2:45 pm during the Lexington BBQ Festival, the Lexington Fire Department responded to a structure fire involving a church at 1700 South Main Street. A large column of smoke was visible during the response, and a second alarm was initiated.
Upon arrival, the first crew on the scene saw smoke coming from the rear of the structure and immediately began to work on extinguishing the fire.
Additional crews checked the interior for possible victims and checked if the fire had extended to other parts of the building. Firefighters determined that the fire was contained to a rear porch area, and no victims were in the building.
The Church served as a food bank and had large supplies of perishable foods to feed the needy. Fire crews
coordinated with church staff to help determine a remedy to remove the foods that needed to remain cooled and frozen.
The Lexington Fire Marshal’s Office initiated an investigation to determine the origin and cause of the fire. Assisting in the investigation are the Davidson County Fire Marshal’s Office, the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
The structure sustained substantial smoke and water damage and is currently uninhabitable. There were no injuries to fire personnel.
