Iowa Church Burns to the Ground

BURLINGTON, Iowa --

The State Fire Marshall's office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are investigating a church fire in downtown Burlington.

City Fire Marshall Mark Crooks said fire gutted First United Methodist Church early Sunday morning. "Just the walls are left standing," Crooks said.

Crooks said the call came in from an alarm company at about 2:41 a.m. When firefighters arrived they found flames in the basement and on the first floor.

Crooks declined to say if he considered the fire suspicious. He characterized it has "unknown."

"It's still early in the investigation," Crooks said on Sunday afternoon.