By KATRINA BRANDON
ONCE a lively gospel church, the old Vary Street, Bolger Street Gospel Chapel in Morwell caught fire.
After about 10 years of silence, the old chapel caught fire around 6.30pm on Monday, October 6.
Two teenagers were arrested following the fire at the disused church later that evening.
Police were called to the Vary St property after witnesses reported two teens seen running from the church just after 6pm.
The pair were followed by witnesses until police arrived and arrested the duo, aged 14 and 17.
They have been interviewed and were cautioned in relation to the incident.
According to the Morwell Historical Society, while not much information has been collected about the old chapel, over time it had been used by different churches.
They also said that on February 2, 1965, a Building Permit was issued to the Trustees of the Open Brethren Church, for a Church and Youth Building to be built.
Many locals took to social media days after the incident to discuss the establishment.
“It would have been about mid 60s, Mr Jeffrey used to pick up the kids in an old ambulance for Sunday school which was in the town hall on Commercial Rd. Then changed to the Gospel Chapel when it was built,” one user said.
“The Gospel Chapel on Vary Street in Morwell was built between March 1953 (when the first sod was turned) and May 1953 (when the foundation stone was laid), with the new church building being dedicated in May 1953,” another said.
According to realestate.com, the chapel has been sold four times since 2012, with the most recent purchase being December 18, 2024.
Since 2020, the building appreciated in value from its price in 2020 being $115,000 to $741,000 last year.
