On Friday, June 2, the First Congregational Church in a central Massachusetts city was destroyed by a fire that started after lightning struck the building during a thunderstorm.
According to the city's fire crew, the fire started around 3 p.m. in Spencer, Massachusetts, and quickly spread throughout the church with thick, black smoke billowing from the sides of the structure.
Authorities reported that at the time of the disaster, no one was inside the structure or injured. Paul Normandin, chief of the Spencer Fire Department, mentioned that the bell tower collapsed about 45 minutes after firefighters began battling the blaze.
According to Normandin, the church’s bell tower functioned as a cell phone antenna, and due to the flames, the signal to cell phones in the area was cut off.
The church’s interim pastor, Bruce MacLeod, reported that the building likely burned quickly because it was constructed of wood and other old materials that are more prone to fire. He also noted that it is too early to confirm whether the church, with at least 30 people in its congregation, will be able to rebuild.
A historic church in Massachusetts was engulfed in flames after being struck by lightning. No one was in the church at the time of the fire, police say. https://t.co/tq3YD9RQnA pic.twitter.com/Hf7G0oZLm6
— ABC News (@ABC) June 4, 2023
The structure was built in 1743 on land donated by a wealthy merchant, approximately ten years before the town of Spencer was established. Then, in 1772, a larger church was built on the site, and in 1802, the bell tower and a bell were added. Later, in 1862, a fire destroyed the church, but it was rebuilt.
“In many New England communities, the Congregational Church was one of the first important buildings erected in the Town and served in both a religious and civic capacity,” said Mary Baker-Wood, president of the Spencer Historical Commission. “Many of Spencer’s most prominent families have belonged to the church, and most long-time residents have attended countless baptisms, weddings, funerals, and public events there,” she added.
Mass was scheduled to be held at the church at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, but instead, congregation members were invited to gather at the First Congregational Church of Leicester.
