The historic Wakefield Church will be demolished after a crush causing a devastating fire

WAKEFIELD – Firefighters continue to pour water on the historic First Baptist Church on Wednesday morning, hours after a flash of lightning sparked a fire that destroyed the church's iconic steeple. heavily damaged the rest of the structure.

Firefighters first responded around 7 pm Tuesday at an automatic alarm of the church at 8 rue Lafayette. near downtown, said Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan. The strike apparently hit the roof at the front of the building and lit a fire that quickly spread into an empty space between the ceiling and the 150-year-old church roof, a he declared.

"It seems to have hit the front of the church somewhere in the bell tower area," Sullivan said during a phone interview Wednesday. "It really was not showing a lot of fire [initially] but it broke out very soon after our arrival.

He added, "I think what happened was that the church was touched by lighting and that she immediately went into the empty area." [between ceiling and roof]. Once he entered this area, there was no way to stop him.

Sullivan said he expected a crane would be brought to the scene on Wednesday to cut down the remains of the belfry as well as walls whose supporting beams were consumed by the flames, exposing them to the risk of falling, especially if the wind increases.

The damage is estimated at $ 1 million, he said.

The national meteorological service has detected several lightning bolts in the Wakefield area Tuesday night, but none inside the city, according to Lenore Correia, a meteorologist with the service. It is possible, however, that the lightning struck at Wakefield, but that the lightning tracking service system did not detect it, added Correia.

Sullivan said that the church was not obliged to install sprinklers under state law, but that she had a system of law enforcement. A functioning fire alarm was functioning properly and sent an automatic alert to the department as planned.

He added that a meeting was going on in the church when the fire broke out, but that no one was injured and no one was inside the church. building when the fire has intensified. At its height, about 100 firefighters from the North Shore communities were present and Sullivan said some of them had been slightly injured.

Firefighters were able to prevent massive fire from reaching nearby buildings, although some people close to the church suffered relatively minor damage, such as a broken window or lane garage, he said.

The fire was reported after powerful storms hit Greater Boston, knocking down power lines.

According to the National Weather Service, a tornado has been shot down in Lincoln, Northern Ireland.

Dozens of firefighters from many communities on the North Shore fought under a brilliant moon. The scene, located near the town of Wakefield, attracted dozens of spectators. With its 180-foot spire, the church is considered a landmark in this city located 23 km north of Boston.

Norm Bendroth, acting pastor, said Tuesday that he was in Melrose when he learned that the church was on fire. He said that he could see the steeple of the church in flames of a mile and a half.

When he arrived there, he said, "The whole place was in flames and the roof collapsed, you could hear the stained glass burst."

A dozen members of the congregation and other church leaders gathered in the town hall when the fire ravaged the church, Bendroth said.

"We simply held hands, prayed and kissed each other," Bendroth said.

He added that other Wakefield clergy had already offered a place of worship and meeting rooms if needed, Bendroth said. They talked about organizing a community rally.

Bendroth described the congregation, which has about 100 members, as "the salt of the people of the earth."

"It's a devastating loss for them," said Bendroth.

He said the church would have an emergency council meeting Wednesday night.

"I think the first hour will be dedicated to prayer and the treatment of grief and good memories, sometimes, and early understanding of what the future holds," Bendroth said.

He said the congregation will pick up the pieces one day at a time.

"It's a cliché, but they always say that the church is not the building, it's the people," said Bendroth. "The building is a cradle and it contains these precious memories, but these are the people who are really the true church."

In a statement released Tuesday night on the church's website, officials acknowledged the destruction of the church, but thanked no one that no one had been hurt.

"While we lost our historic building after a lightning strike this week, we praise Jesus for the safety of our ecclesial community. A big thank you to the many firefighters who have done their work with excellence and in support of the community. "

The statement continues, "We know that we serve a God who specializes in restoring breaks and who can bring the very beauty of his ashes. We are therefore moving towards the future with confidence, hope and gratitude. "

Groups such as the Tall Spire Crib, Middlesex Concert Band, Nifty Needles 4-H Club and Alcoholics Anonymous use the church space, according to the church's website.

Christian Bruno, a worker who lives in the neighborhood, said that he was at home with his wife and son when they heard a loud bang. His wife looked out the window and shouted, "Oh my God, it's on fire," said Bruno. They then watched the building burn.

"It's incredible," he said. "Unbelievable."

Map: 8 Lafayette St., Wakefield

Danny McDonald can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Danny__McDonald.John R. Ellement can be contacted [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.Jeremy C. Fox can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jeremycfox.