Four teenagers charged with arson, burglary over raging St Leonards church fire

Three boys and a girl have now been charged in relation to a raging fire that gutted the oldest building in St Leonards, with the damage bill tipped to top $1 million.

Emergency services on the scene of a fire at the St Paul's Anglican Church in St Leonards on Thursday morning. Picture: Alison Wynd

Four teenagers have now been charged in relation to a raging fire that gutted the oldest building in St Leonards, with the damage bill tipped to top $1 million.

Emergency services responded to calls of the blaze at the St Pauls Anglican Church on Dudley Pde about 2.15am on Thursday morning.

The blaze destroyed the church and an adjoining hall.

Detectives from the Geelong Crime Investigation Unit have since interviewed and charged three teenage boys, aged 14, 15 and 16, and a 16-year-old girl with arson and burglary.

They will appear at a children’s court at a later date.

St Pauls Anglican Church warden Alan Swanwick said the contents of the building had been ruined.

The adjacent hall, which contained a kitchen, toilets, meeting tables and chairs, had also completely burnt down.

The church is believed to be the longest standing structure in the seaside Bellarine Peninsula village.

“It is alleged the damage is estimated to be worth $1 million dollars,” A Victoria Police spokesman said.

Building damage after a suspicious fire at the St Paul's Anglican Church in St Leonards. Picture: Alison Wynd

The fire was reported to emergency services by neighbours across the road, Lance and Susan Bossner, who heard the crackling of timber in the early hours of Thursday.

An arson chemist attended the scene later that day to determine the cause of the fire.

Mr Swanwick said the hall was built about 30 years ago but the first service in the church was in January 1915.

“How can you put a value on it and then how can you replace it,” he said.

“It’s a lovely, simple, country church.”

Originally published as Four teenagers charged with arson, burglary over raging St Leonards church fire