This is a 1:20 p.m. update of a story originally posted at 8:37 this morning.

By GEORGE GRAHAM

ggraham@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - The bishop of a predominantly black Tinkham Road church, destroyed by a suspicious fire Wednesday morning, said, "It gives every appearance of being a deliberate act or hate crime."

Federal investigators were at the scene of the ruined church which was still under construction at 215 Tinkham Road, Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

It was to be the new home of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ. The fire loss is estimated at $2 million, Leger said.

"This is big. This is huge," a neighbor, Michael R. Caron, of Fox Wood Drive said. "This is like Springfield, Miss., here."

Bishop Bryant Robinson, speaking from the fire scene, said parishioners are "in shock and disbelief that somebody would do that. Particularly when the church is not doing any harm to anybody and trying to help people."

The suspicious fire started hours after Barack Obama made history as the nation's first black president-elect.

"There is a symmetry," Robinson said of the joy following Obama's win and the horrific loss that quickly followed.

Caron, whose house is adjacent to the church property, was awakened by the blaze.

"It was kind of a surreal thing," he said. He said he woke up out of a sound sleep and immediately saw smoke.

"At first, I thought the grass was burning," he said. Then, he thought to himself, "Oh it didn't get the church." But when he walked across the street, he found out otherwise.

"I could see fire through the church and I knew it was bad," he said.

Robinson said the church will rebuild.

"Our belief in God will sustain us. ... Our faith is of such quality and maturity that we will be building." Robinson said.

A church member, Martha C. Ortiz, of Westfield, a photographer who has been documenting construction of the church on camera, called the blaze "really, really devastating.

"Everybody is supporting each other and supporting our pastor," she said.

"Faithwise, it is going to bring us together and make us stronger. Faith is everlasting and God will take care of us," she said.

The church's current home is 201 King St.

The fire was reported shortly after 3:10 a.m., Leger said.

Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the scene Wednesday morning, Leger said.

State troopers attached to the state fire marshal's office and the Springfield arson and bomb squad are also investigating, Leger said.

The large structure, about 90 percent complete, was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived shortly after 3:15 a.m., Leger said.

The fire scene commander, Springfield District Chief Joseph Contant, ordered an exterior attack only due to the intense flames and fear that the building would collapse due to its truss construction

"Nobody was allowed into the building," Leger said.

Three firefighters, including Contant, Roland Dupre and Anthony Santaniello, suffered minor injuries, Leger said.

The fact that the building was vacant, yet to be occupied, is cause for suspicion, Leger said. "Any vacant building is suspicious until proven otherwise," he said.

"It's awful, really," Caron said. "This is an absolutely tranquil neighborhood. I don't know what to say. We are devastated."

Yellow police tape was draped around the church and what appear to be two private homes Wednesday morning.

Last year, arson destroyed a 130-unit retirement complex, also under construction, off Parker Street in East Longmeadow.

The Bluebird Estates fire, which happened on Sept. 26, 2007, was started when someone poured gasoline throughout the multi-million dollar facility and set it ablaze. Three melted gasoline containers were found in the ruins, and accelerant-sniffing dogs found traces of gasoline at several locations, officials said.

Robinson said in the larger scheme of things he is still "somewhat proud of the country."

The coming transfer of power to a new administration and party is "one of the few places on the globe where we do this in some kind of a regular basis without havoc being unleashed on people," Bryant said.

"We are also mindful (that) in the fabric of our nation there are people who hate people, who are racist people, people who didn't vote for Obama just because he was an African-American."

More details in The Republican tomorrow.