Lightning strikes Calvary Methodist Church, fire damage being assessed/UPDATE 3 -

UPDATE 3: 7-5-2016, 4:45pm

Calvary United Methodist Church’s pastor, Ricky Butler (seated)

The day after suffering a fire, believed to have been started by a lightning strike, officials of New Albany’s Calvary United Methodist Church were assessing the damages from fire, smoke and water. Though the church’s structure remains generally sound, there will be a good deal of clean-up and repair work required to return all areas to usefullness.

Interior hallway

UPDATE: 7-4-2016, 11:45 PM

Fourth of July fire at Calvary Methodist Church

Prompt and professional action by the New Albany Fire Department prevented catastrophic damage to the Calvary United Methodist Church, after it was struck by lightning early Monday evening.

Photo taken at 11:30 PM , July 4th

New Albany Fire Chief, Steve Coker, said he believed most of the fire damage was confined to the attic on the north side of the building.

As can be seen from these photos taken at 11:30 PM this evening, it is difficult at night to see any external damage at all. The one close up photo does show some charring under one of the eaves.

The extent of damage, including damage from smoke and water, will have to be evaluated during daylight hours.

Photo taken at 11:30 PM July 4th.

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A fire that started shortly after 7:30 Monday evening did major damage to a New Albany Church.

A substantial part of the Calvary United Methodist Church at the intersection of Highway 15 and Highway 348 was burning when the first New Albany Fire Department (NAFD) fire engine arrived minutes after the alarm was sounded. It was believed the structure had been set aflame by a lightning strike. A heavy thunderstorm with many close-in lightning bolts was over New Albany at the time.

Public safety officials believed nobody was in the building when the fire started.

Several NAFD units fought the flames. New Albany Police Department and Union County Department officers managed and re-routed traffic at the intersection of the two busy highways

NAnewsweb.com will update this story as more information becomes available.

Click to enlarge photos: