Wasilla (Alaska, US), Dec. 15 : A church that was once visited vy Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin was badly damaged by a fire late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

According to the local television station 2News KTUU, the blaze at the Wasilla Bible Church broke out as a group of women were making crafts inside.

Palin''s spokesperson, Bill McAllister, issued a statement on her behalf after she visited the church on Saturday.

"(Palin) told an assistant pastor that she apologizes if the incident is in any way connected to the undeserved negative attention the church has received since she became a vice presidential candidate on August 29. Whatever the motives of the arsonist, the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good."

Church members were said to be in a state of shock over the incident. Mat-Su firefighters called it the biggest fire of the year.

It''s a place of worship to more than a thousand people in the Valley.

The blaze badly damaged what many considered to be a new building, built just three years ago, to the tune of an estimated one million dollars.

But investigators say it''s too early to tell who did what and why.

The church does plan to rebuild. (ANI)