(KAIR)--Arson is the suspected cause of a weekend fire at an abandoned Atchison church. Interim Atchison Fire Chief Ted Graf tells MSC News located at 1324 North 17th Street. 

“This is the location formerly known as the Church of the Living Love, a church building and then adjacent to what used to be a residential structure that's connected to the building at one time,” Atchison Interim Fire Chief Ted Graf tells MSC News. “It's been several years since the building was actually occupied and used as a church. The building has been vacant and boarded up and secured now for several years.” 

Graf says the fire was reported shortly after 2:00 Sunday afternoon, sending firefighters to the scene. “When they attempted to enter the building, they encountered fire in one particular portion of the structure that had extended into the basement area. Further investigation revealed that there were actually several attempts at different points of ignition which then indicated we were dealing with a  possible arson fire at that time.” 

It took the crew around 30 minutes to extinguish the fire, and during that time, one firefighter suffered minor injuries, identified as scrapes and bruises, to his leg. 

Graf says it's not immediately clear when the other apparent attempts at setting a fire inside the building happened, but says it's an indication that Sunday's occurrence was not isolated. “There have been reports that numerous juveniles in the area, over the years, that would congregate in that particular area.”

As the investigation into the fire continued, police two days later were called to the former church, when it was reported a group of people had entered the building. “It was shortly after 4 PM on Tuesday when our officers responded to the 1300 block of North 17th,” Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson tells MSC News. “Officers did locate one adult male and three juveniles inside the structure and they were all subsequently charged with trespassing.”

Wilson identifies the man as 23-year-old James Richard, of Atchison. He was taken to the Atchison County Jail while the juveniles were released to juvenile intake. 

Wilson says the investigation has led police to allege a connection between the group of four and Sunday's fire. When they were located in the church, they were found in the possession of paper towels, which they had allegedly set on fire inside the building, telling police they did so in order to have light. 

According to Wilson, two of the juveniles, aged 15 and 17, have been taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the alleged arson. 

The investigation is ongoing.