Arson Suspected In Fire At Sydney Cathedral

A fire gutted the interior and destroyed the roof of the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral Monday in what police believe was arson. A suspect was arrested hours later.

The blaze took less than 30 minutes to rip through St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta, a western suburb of Sydney, police said. No casualties were reported.

Witnesses have told detectives they saw the man who was later arrested leaving the cathedral minutes after the fire started.

The cathedral, built in 1935, incorporated a tower and spire belonging to one of Australia’s first churches, which was built on the site in the 1800s.