![Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
Officers were called by Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service shortly after 3.45am yesterday to advise they were responding to reports of a fire at St John the Baptist Church in Melbourn Street.
Initial enquiries suggested that the fire was a result of arson, however the cause of the fire is not yet known and is subject of an ongoing investigation by officers and the fire service.
Detective Inspector Mike Keane said: “Thankfully nobody was hurt during the incident, but the church is of great significance to the local community.
“It is devastating to see damage caused to such a historic building and I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can, with assistance from our colleagues at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, to find out the cause of the fire in what is a difficult working environment.
![Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
“Anyone with information linked to this incident, or any witnesses, should get in touch with us on the non-emergency number 101, quoting ISR 143 of December 9.
“Any information you have, no matter how small it might seem, could prove to be significant to the investigation.”
• You can also report information online at https://www.herts.police.uk/Report.
Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. In over 30 years, Crimestoppers charity as always kept its promise of anonymity to everyone who contacts them.
![Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Emergency services on the scene at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue drone checks out the damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
![Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO]( "Royston Crow: Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO")
Evidence of the fire damage at Royston St John the Baptist Church, Melbourn Street after a fire inside. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Archant)
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