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Attempt differs from 10 church arsons

Cause of two other Alabama blazes remains under investigation

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A February 7 blaze destroyed the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Boligee.

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Alabama

(CNN) -- An attempted arson at an east Alabama church on Sunday bears little similarity to 10 other intentionally set church fires in the state, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said.

It appeared something was thrown Sunday morning at a Church of God in an effort to set it alight, said the ATF's Jim Cavanaugh. The church is in a remote location near the Etowah County community of Glencoe.

The effort failed, and resulted in minimal damage to the church's exterior.

Alabama State Fire Marshal Richard Montgomery told CNN the vinyl siding on an outside wall was scorched. The attempted fire was discovered by a church member arriving for services, he said.

The other 10 arsons and attempted arsons have all been in the central or western parts of the state.

In addition, Cavanaugh said there were no signs of forced entry into the Glencoe church -- a departure from the other arsons. (Map of suspicious fires)

The previous Alabama church arsons have been at Baptist churches, five with predominantly black congregations and five with mainly white members.

The ATF is also investigating a fire Friday night at a Methodist church on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, in western Alabama, Cavanaugh said, but it has not yet been determined whether it was accidental.

The cause may involve a cloth covering a Bible on a table with candles around it.

In addition, the ATF is investigating a warehouse fire in Tuscaloosa on Friday night that apparently housed merchandise for a Christian business. The blaze is considered arson, Cavanaugh said.

ATF is sending a national response team to the city Monday to determine if the fire is similar to the church arsons. Tuscaloosa police and the ATF are planning a Monday news conference on the warehouse fire.

CNN's Rusty Dornin contributed to this report.

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