Lightning strike sets church steeple in Medway ablaze
MEDWAY - Seconds after a bright silver streak flashed across his front window yesterday morning, a thundering boom shook Steven Dahl’s home. He looked out across the street, through the pouring rain, and saw the town’s historic church, nearly 200 years old, encompassed in billowing white smoke.
“It was a huge explosion,’’ Dahl said. “It shook all my windows.’’
Lightning had struck Medway Community Church on Main Street, and the pastor, Carl Schultz, pulled into the driveway just as flames began to shoot out from the side windows of its steeple. Within minutes, it was engulfed by fire, he said.
About 40 firefighters raced to the scene and managed to quell the blaze before it spread to the rest of the church, which was built in 1814.
“We got a call from a neighbor at 8:15, and we were out there right away,’’ said Chief Paul Trufant, who also had firefighters dispatched from Millis, Franklin, and Holliston.
Less than an hour later, the long, golden hands on the three circular tower clocks just below the spire stopped telling time.
But the damage could have been much worse, witnesses said.
The lightning hit the golden weather vane atop the steeple’s 120-foot wooden spire, splintering the pyramidal roof into large, pointed pieces, and the blaze left part of the steeple charred.
As firefighters worked to take the steeple down, the towering, wooden church at 193 Main St. looked almost unscathed. No one was inside when the lightning struck.
“We will be worshiping this Sunday, whether we are in this building or in another or on the front lawn,’’ Schultz said. “It was a blessing it was spared.’’
The church houses a nursery and a Bible school. Its congregation, the Conservative Christian Congregational Conference, has about 300 members, and more than a dozen rushed to the site when they heard about the fire. Many crowded under umbrellas as they watched firefighters hose down the building.
“I am very nervous and upset right now,’’ said Nancy Vinton, who was born in Medway and stood outside the church yesterday.
“It has been a part of my life for 60 years. But it will be all right. It is just a building, we can rebuild it.’’
Loring Maxwell and his wife have been members of the congregation since the 1960s and now live in Bellingham.
They came to the scene right away after their son called them to tell them about the lightning strike.
“It is a great part of the history of Medway,’’ Maxwell said. The church was built during the War of 1812, he said.
Its steeple has survived the ravages of nature in the past.
A severe storm blew it off in 1882 and sent it through the roof, point first, into the building.
During the hurricane of 1938, its spire was knocked off again, this time landing in the sanctuary. It was stuck by lightning in 1945.
Just last month, the congregation bought a lightning rod to protect the steeple, which was supposed to arrive in August, said Deacon Ralph Geyer.
Still, Geyer said he is not worried about restoring the church that has given him much comfort since he joined 15 years ago.
“It is white, plain, simple, beautiful,’’ he said.
“Yes, we can be sad, but it has such an element of hope. We will be fine.’’
