Due To Arson Attack, Pro-Life Center Suffers $250,000 In Damages
A pro-life clinic in Peoria, Illinois suffered $250,000 in damages after the building was intentionally set on fire, the Journal Star reports.
The blaze at the Peoria Women’s Care Center, which “provides free, confidential counseling, support, and education for pregnant women,” was first reported to the fire department last week in the middle of the night. While the fire, which caused widespread smoke and heat damage, was quickly put out by firefighters, investigations later indicated the building was intentionally set ablaze.
“It wasn’t clear what led investigators to determine it was arson, but the fire department said the office of the state fire marshal as well as the Peoria Police Department were assisting in the investigation,” reported the Journal Star.
(KDB Group)
PEORIA, Ill. The Peoria Women’s Club has received a donation of $1 million from entrepreneur and developer Kim Blickenstaff to help restore the historic building.
In 2019, Blickenstaff donated $500,000 to the Women’s Club, while challenging others to help with the effort to refurbish the 130-year-old building.
The cornerstone of the 11,000-square foot structure was cemented into place in 1893, and dedicated in 1894.
The Peoria Women’s Club was granted historic landmark status in 2014.
Projects slated for this year at the Women’s Club include a new roof and the renovation of the 432-seat theater.
A pregnancy center in Peoria, Illinois, was burned in the early-morning hours of May 3, 2021. | Screenshot: WMBD
An Illinois pregnancy center was set ablaze in an act of arson during the early-morning hours of May 3, causing an estimated $250,000 in damage as the pro-life center scrambles to find a permanent location.
The Peoria Fire Department responded to the fire at Peoria Women’s Care Center around 2:40 a.m. on Monday and said most of the fire was contained in the front room, but damage was done to the entire building.
Fire investigators believe the fire was intentionally set but under control by 3 a.m., a local news station reported. No one was injured in the fire.