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Federal Authorities Investigating Fire at California Islamic Center
File photo: AP

Federal Authorities Investigating Fire at California Islamic Center

"Cal Fire has contained a fire at the Islamic Society of Palm Springs."

Authorities were investigating a fire that broke out Friday in the Islamic Society of the Coachella Valley mosque.

File photo: AP Image source: AP

The fire was reported around 12:00 p.m. local time Friday inside the mosque located at 84600 block of Avenue 49 in Coachella, according to Riverside Country Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Fuhrman.

As of 6:00 p.m. eastern time, the ATF said the fire was contained and that they will be joining the investigation.

"Cal Fire has contained a fire at the Islamic Society of Palm Springs. ATF enroute to partner in Coachella mosque fire," the ATF published on its official Twitter account.

The FBI was said to have joined the investigation as well.

Though the fire was contained, the 1,800-square-foot mosque did sustain some damage due to the smoke, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and authorities did not confirm whether or not it is being investigated as arson, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Armando Munoz.

Last year, a shot was fired into the same mosque, though no one was hurt. The shooting was investigated as a hate crime.

Follow Tré Goins-Phillips (@tregp) on Twitter

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