Church fire that caused $5M in damage appears accidental: official

SILVER SPRING, Md. - An overnight fire at a church in Montgomery County that caused major damage appears to be accidental, officials say.

The fire happened around 1:45 a.m. at the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer said that firefighters responded after an automatic fire alarm was activated.

Piringer said the fire appears accidental in nature and could have involved the malfunction of an electrical item like electrical cords, equipment, or power strips. He said damages total over $5 million. No injuries were reported.