A fire broke out earlier this morning at the Quba Islamic Center in Houston, Texas and was quickly brought under control by the Houston Fire Department. Luckily there were no injuries and the fire was contained to an “addition” at the back of the complex, leaving the main building undamaged.
More from the Los Angeles Times:
Fire broke out early Friday morning at an Islamic school and investigators were trying to determine whether the blaze was intentionally set, officials said.
The fire at The Quba Islamic Institute in southeast Houston was reported at 5:35 a.m. in an addition to the main building, according to Kenyatta Parker, a spokesman for Houston Fire Department.
Parker said up to 25 firefighters responded and extinguished the fire by 6:20 a.m. before it damaged the main building.
“We got it before it got out of control,” Parker said. No injuries were reported, he said.
As for the cause, Parker said “we have no idea yet.”
Early in the investigation, he said, officials have no reason to believe the fire was intentionally set.
Although the Houston Fire Department is still investigating, many on Twitter are already tying the fire to the awful #ChapelHillShooting of three Muslim students in North Carolina on Tuesday, as well as overstating the damage that occurred to the structure:
So its true Mosque set on Fire in Houston #ChapelHill has inspired more #Islamophobia violence http://t.co/0tkumvHPjZ pic.twitter.com/AW5yssFsjk
— Bassem Masri (@bassem_masri) February 13, 2015
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Houston Islamic Center burned down last night http://t.co/qAhWVoJNAx ht @JasonPMcGraw #Islamophobia #UNCShooting
— Ellen Wu (@ellendwu) February 13, 2015
Someone else real mad about a parking ticket?Massive fire at the Quba Islamic Institute in Houston #MuslimLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/YPUCvVTIKb
— Marco M.M. (@meteorologo777) February 13, 2015
the parking lot must have been to small. http://t.co/GfWYoQIneq
— Hans Suter (@HansSuter) February 13, 2015
Meanwhile in Houston, the Quba Islamic Institute is burned to the ground: http://t.co/HapuBTAKSL
— Anil Dash ? (@anildash) February 13, 2015
Another violent hate crime against Islam in Houston at the Quba Islamic Institute. #HoustonFire #MuslimLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/6vByw3ALb4
— fouuzz (@Fuzzyyy_) February 13, 2015
Monday: #MustafaMattan shot & killed in his own home
Tuesday: #ChapelHillShooting
Today: Houston mosque set on fire. pic.twitter.com/u4Wvxl5zIs— Nishi Fatima (@The_Anecdoubtal) February 13, 2015
Quba Islamic Institute had plenty of parking space around it #HoustonFire #ChapelHillShooting http://t.co/b6zR5oABKl pic.twitter.com/8ATbW2fkT7
— Khaled Essale (@5alloud) February 13, 2015
However, if this were an arson attack — and it could have been — why did the arsonist attack a secondary part of the complex and not the main building? Here are some pics of the scene that show just what was and was not damaged:
Fire damage to 3rd building of the Quba Islamic Institute. Wasn't being used. Old junk from previous owner inside. pic.twitter.com/yLRmFb618U
— Rob Wu (@IAmRobWu) February 13, 2015
Now on the #LiveChannel: Daylight Aerials over a fire at Quba Islamic Institute in Houston (Source: KHOU). pic.twitter.com/rwj8oFhRTp
— CBS Newspath (@cbsnewspath) February 13, 2015
Screenshot via Talking Points Memo:
We’ll update this post as soon as we know more.
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