Port Richmond Lightning Church Spire, Cause of Fire – CBS Philadelphia

Philadelphia (CBS) — A thunder struck the spire of the Port Richmond Church and set it on fire on Monday afternoon. The sound of strikes at the Grace Anglican on Venango and Edgemont streets rattled the neighborhood.

Late Monday afternoon, shortly after 4:30, lightning struck the spire of the Anglican Grace and set it on fire.

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“We lived down the street here and it started to rain, and when it stopped, lightning began. And suddenly it sounded like a bomb exploded,” said the parishioner. Ann Paul said.

Fortunately, no one was in the church, and the local fire department, just a few blocks away, responded almost immediately.

“The fire was extinguished. Flooding to the sanctuary and altar entrance was minimal and the area was unaffected,” said Father Brian Larison.

Father Brian was eventually able to get inside when considered safe. He was flooded, but escaped the pulpit, for example.

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The church will be rebuilt in the next few days, weeks and months.

“It’s a holy place for us, but in the end people are okay. That’s important. It’s hard, it’s hard for the parishioners, but we’re rebuilding. We’re just moving forward. I will, “said Father Brian.

With all that in mind, things could be much worse.

“As a priest, I am grateful that no one was injured,” said Father Brian.

“It’s pretty emotional, but thank you for not. [Sunday] When I had a church full of people for the masses and everything else, “said Churchwarden Ken Paul.

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Fundraising to support the payment of deductible insurance is already underway and there is anything that insurance cannot cover.