A devastating Saturday evening fire largely destroyed the Sacco Company Catholic Store in downtown Houston. Store owner Andrew Sacco said he did not see any visible evidence of arson, vandalism or threats. Arson investigators have visited the Catholic bookstore as the investigation plays out.
A fire began in the Catholic bookstore shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 25. The building, which is more than 6,000 square feet in area, was heavily damaged in the blaze.
“We did suffer a fire on Saturday evening. It did destroy most of our store,” Andrew Sacco, the store’s owner, told the Catholic News Agency. “It’s a pretty big blow. It’s a family-owned business. We’ve been in that location for over 30 years. It’s a significant blow to us.”
The store is located on San Jacinto Street five blocks south of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
According to Sacco, the store is still open for business online and at their other Houston location. With that said, the store which suffered the fire was the Sacco Company’s main location and had all of its main inventory.
Sacco told the Catholic News Agency that he is not aware of any signs of vandalism, arson or threats.
“We don’t have any information on that at this time. The fire is still being investigated,” he told the outlet. “We’re waiting on insurance adjustors and inspectors. There’s been no determination on the cause of the fire.”
Arson investigators were on the scene after the fire, KPRC 2 News reported.
A Houston Fire Department spokesperson later told Catholic News Agency that the investigation is considered open and active.
The fire comes as Catholic Churches and organizations remain on alert for acts of vandalism and arson in the wake of the Supreme Court’s action on Roe V. Wade. A number of churches have been vandalized in the roughly two months since the draft opinion was leaked by Politico.
