St. Paul church steeple catches fire after suspected lighting strike
Lightning strike damages St. Paul church steeple
A steeple was destroyed in a fire caused by a lightning strike Thursday night at a St. Paul church after storms went through the area.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A steeple at a St. Paul church caught fire after it was reportedly struck by lightning Thursday evening.
Church struck by lighting
What we know:
According to the St. Paul Fire Department, around 5:30 p.m. firefighters were called to the 500 block of Farrington Street on reports of a church on fire.
WATCH: Steeple on fire after being struck by lighting
A church steeple caught fire after it was struck by lighting in St. Paul.
At the scene, fire crews witnessed flames coming from the steeple.
The fire was extinguished, and it did not extend into the church. The steeple is currently structurally unstable, so authorities have put a safety zone around it. The sidewalks and street near the steeple are closed until further assessment of the structure is finished, fire officials said.
Authorities are saying to avoid these areas:
- Sherburne Avenue between Virginia Street and Farrington Street.
- Farrington Street between Sherburne Avenue and Charles Avenue.
No injuries have been reported, but the church is a dual zone occupancy, so two adults who were living in the basement were displaced, fire officials said.
Authorities say that a preliminary investigation shows the steeple was struck by lighting, which caused the fire.
The Source: A press release from the St. Paul Fire Department.