STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12707, 9 March 1912, Page 6 (Supplement)

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

CHUROH AND CONVENT.

A BALL OF FLAME

SYDNEY, February 28

An extraordinary storm occurred in the city on Sunday afternoon. A church a"nd convent, several other buildings, and a dozen tramcars were struck by lightning, a fireball fell at the Zoological Gardens, nearly 20 sailing boats were capsized in the harbor, the channels were unable to carry away the immense streams of water that flowed down the streets, and houses were flooded, and the storm played havoc with the telegraph and telephone services. During the height of the storm, at about 5 p.m., St. Matthias's Church, Paddington, was struck by lightning, and shortly after smoke was seen issuing from under the slates which cover the roof. The rafters and battens forming the interior part of the ioof were well alight. The rector on^ entering the building saw the flames extending over four sections of the roofing, but the fire, did not spread, as the brigade quickly got to work. Church workers and others assisted in removing the altar table, the nooks, lectern, .and readingdesk to. .the; school, hall. About 9.30 in, the, evening -the.. verger, Mr E. T. -Batty, went -round the church to see if all was safe, when he noticed^ the roof rafters, which had ignited, were still smouldering. They presented what he describes as a glow, and he informed the brigade, who again .attended, and applied chemicals to the burning portions. About 100yds from St. Matthias's Church is the Sisters of Charity Convent and schooL Th€ members of the sisterhood were greatly alarmed when- the tower of then* residence was struck by lightning, and one of the four globular concrete embellishments, weighing over a hundredweight, placed on the corners of the tower, toppled down. . The .dislodged material was known, as a finial, and connecting .it. with the bed of brickwork- was a piece of iron. When this was struck a number* of bricks fell, and the finial, from a height of over 50ft, crashed on to the roof of a large classroom, and. then rolled over, landing in front of a doorway leading into the yard. It was remarkable that none of the sisters were hurt. Four of them were in the class-room,, which is. also used as a study And writing-room, and, they were only, a few feet away when the roof was smashed^ a large gap being made in it, and the plastered ceiling fell. " The waitresses at Sargent's refreshment rooms at the Zoological Gardens, Moore Park, had a terrifying experience. A series of inlet mirror panels* add to the light of the room, and according to the statements ot the girls, each flush of lightning seemed to 'be magnified and repeated by every and the crashes of thunder appeared to shake the building to its foundations. About 5 p.m. one of the girls went to the pantry at the back of the building. As she opened the door, so she informed a reporter, the telephone wires overhead appeared to be streaks of flame, and the alarm-bell inside the larg« refreshment hall started ringing. She was just about to close the door when an awful crash occurred, and at her feet she says she saw a ball of fire. Describing it, the girls said : "It was a ball of pale blueflame with a red centre. It seemed to be whirling along, and almost blinded me as I looked at it. The wires overhead were also Tunning with fire, and I shut the door, rushed inside, and covered my head to shut out the light and the sounds. Then came two tremendous crashes, the loudest I have heard, and. after that things gradually quietened down." The other waitresses confirmed the story. Said another one of them : "We were all so frightened that we just covered our heads up and waited. We were crying, too, and still feel shaken. I'm trembling all over still, and haven't been able to sleep a wink all night. I never want to go through such a time again, as the room seemed .full of lightning." The curator of the • Zoological Gardens, Mr De Soeuf, said that the falling of the fireball had been reported to him by the head keeper, and, the curator added, with unconscious irony, that it was lucky the fireball fell where it did, and not on the cage of any of the animals. '■ ■