Moment steeple of a centuries-old church in Massachusetts collapses

A massive fire engulfed a historic 280-year-old church in Massachusetts and caused its spiral to crumble.

The First Congregational Church of Spencer fire started around 3pm on Friday and witnesses say it was caused by a lightning strike.

The Spencer Fire Department responded immediately and battled the blaze for hours as smoke billowed from the all-wood building.

The fire spread rapidly and the church tower was completely engulfed in flames before collapsing.

No one was injured as the building was empty at the time and the community watched in shock as the historic church collapsed.

The First Congregational Church of Spencer fire started around 3pm on Friday and witnesses said it was caused by a lightning strike.

Dramatic photos show smoke billowing from the building as it burned and it could be seen from surrounding towns.

The Spencer Police Department urged the public to stay away from the area and firefighters from nearby areas were called to help with the blaze.

They managed to tackle the heaviest flames at 5 p.m. as they climbed the ladders of the tower to hose down the church from above.

And hundreds of shocked residents watched from different corners as the fire engulfed the building.

Reverend Dr Bruce MacLeod, who has led the church since February, watched it burn from across the street.

“For many people it’s a death in the family, for people who have gone through important stages of their lives here, from baptisms to weddings to funerals, it’s devastating,” he said. declared. local TV channel WHDH.

Investigators believe a lightning strike may have started the fire as a storm passed Spencer around 2:30 p.m.

Krystal Sanchez lives nearby and said she saw lightning strike the spire before the fire started.

“I was just sitting in my house and heard the ambulance coming. I really didn’t think about it, but when I came out there was just smoke and fire everywhere,’ she told NBC 10 Boston.

The Spencer Fire Department responded immediately and battled the blaze for hours as smoke poured from the all-wood building.

The fire spread rapidly and the church spire was completely engulfed in flames before collapsing.

No one was injured as the building was empty at the time and the community watched in shock as the historic church collapsed.

The church was established in 1743 and this is not the first time it has been devastated by fire as a fire ravaged the congregation in 1862 before it was completely rebuilt.

“The roof of the building has just collapsed. It was terrible. There were people crying, it was really, really bad.

‘It was terrible. There were people crying, it was just a horrible scene.

Robert St. Germain also witnessed the fire and said, “It’s sad. It’s a part of the city. What can you do? We are all sad. We are all in mourning over this.

Southbridge Fire Chief Paul Normandin said: “We’ve had an eyewitness report of a lightning strike in the area so we’re kind of assuming at this point that’s probably what happened. happened.”

A collapse zone was set up around the church as firefighters waited for an excavation crew to arrive and knocked down what was left of the building’s front walls.

“It’s concerning,” Normandin said. “That’s why we’re not ahead.

The church was founded in 1743 and it is not the first time that it has been devastated by fire.

A fire ravaged the congregation in 1862 before it was completely rebuilt a year later.

A solitary chimney with a cross beam remained and it looked like a cross.

Some of the walls of the first Congregational church were still intact after the fire, which gave the community hope that it could be rebuilt again.

The church has a small congregation of about 30 people and Pastor MacLeod isn’t sure if the building can be repaired.