LACKAWANNA
Church left with water, fire damage after lightning bolt ignites steeple
Shingles from the roof of Holy Trinity Church were spread around the ground on Pulaski Street in Lackawanna on Monday.
Large humidifiers and fans roared inside the church in an effort to dry the waterlogged areas.
It was the aftermath from Sunday’s storm, when lightning struck the steeple of the 79-year-old church and set it ablaze.
At about 3 p. m. Sunday, fire crews responded to the fire in the bell tower of the neighborhood landmark.
Repair crews were on the job Monday.
While part of the steeple was destroyed, the church was ultimately saved. However, water damage from the hoses used in fighting the blaze was extensive.
The church’s administrator, the Rev. Gary Spencer, said that Sunday services at the church are suspended for the time being but will resume once the building is deemed safe.
Spencer said that firefighters were forced to cut a hole at the bottom of the tower into the choir loft in order to vent the affected area. However, gallons of water then poured into the choir loft, causing damage to its wooden floors. Water also seeped into the basement, ruining the bathrooms.
Despite the many repairs still needed, parishioners were thankful that the church was still standing after Sunday. Elaine Kubik, church organist and daughter of its longtime pastor, the Rev. Matthew Kubik, said that after the mid-afternoon storm stopped, a rainbow appeared.
“I think we had some divine intervention going on in there,” she said. “It’s God’s house.”
While she estimated that the storm caused thousands of dollars in damage, it could have been worse. Had fire crews not vented the steeple area, the fire might have been spread throughout the entire church.
Holy Trinity is a member of the Polish National Catholic Church. Until the church reopens for Sunday services, Elaine Kubik said that parishioners can travel to the Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Lancaster.
The church means a lot to Kubik — she lives in the rectory next door with her parents. When fire crews began hacking an ax into the flaming steeple, she felt that ax was going into her, as well, she said.
But she and the other parishioners will make it through.
“The faith of the congregation will bring everyone closer together,” she said.
bhayden@buffnews.com "> email: bhayden@buffnews.com
