CHURCH DESTROYED

Evening Star, Issue 22106, 13 August 1935, Page 11

CHURCH DESTROYED

LIGHTNIHG STRIKES STEEPLE \ A church at Bromley, Kent, was re* ceutly destroyed by a fire which began when the tall steeple was struck by, a vivid streak of lightning. The fire, which was at tire Trinity. Presbyterian Church in Freelands road, blazed for nearly four hours, and all that remained was the brick shell of the building and the steeple. While the church was burning the minister, the Rev. F. W. Armstrong, was conducting an afternoon service in the Robert Whyte Memorial Hall about a mile away. . Happily, there was no congregation in the church, but the adjoining Sunday school building, which was also involved, would have been full of children' half ah hour later. Bromley and Beckenham fire brigades were ‘called, but the flames reached a height of 15ft above tip roof, and were fanned by the wind.

The Rev. W. R. Mnsselwhite, vicar of St. John’s Church, Bromley, was one of the first to see the fire break out. He directed salvage efforts until the brigade arrived, and as a result most of the robes and all the church documents were saved. • Ulr Musselwhite was drenched when he helped to drag the hoses into position, and he left the scene after some hours to conduct the evening service at his own church.