160-year-old church in Massachusetts gets destroyed in fire by lightning

Authorities informed that no one was injured in the blaze as the church was empty when it got engulfed in flames.

A 160-year-old church in Spencer, Massachusetts got destroyed by fire on Friday. Fire officials attributed the incident to be the result of lightning. Authorities informed that no one was injured in the blaze as the church was empty when it got engulfed in flames. It took nearly 100 firefighters to control the fire.

First Congregational Church of Spencer, United Church of Christ. (Twitter)

"We have recently experienced a tragic fire & devastating loss of our building," informs the website for the first Congregational Church of Spencer, United Church of Christ.

The fire spread from the church's steeple to its ground floor. The steeple eventually burned out completely and fell down. Rev. Bruce MacLeod, the church’s Interim Pastor told Boston 25 that the church was made using wood and other material, and dates back to the 1800s.

As per the church's website, the church was rebuilt in 1863 after its earlier version got destroyed in fire. The church was originally constructed in 1743 on land donated by Nathaniel Cunningham, a wealthy Cambridge merchant. In 1772, it was modified into a larger church building. A steeple and bell were added in 1802.

Meanwhile, investigators are yet to decide on whether the remaining portion of the burnt church will be completely brought down.