Likely lightning strike sets church steeple ablaze in Wisconsin

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Church steeple burns in Wisconsin after likely lightning strike

Witnesses say a lightning bolt hit a church steeple in Madison, Wisconsin moments before smoke and flames broke out. (Video courtesy: Nate Moll)

MADISON, Wisc. -- A lightning strike may have ignited a church steeple in Madison, Wisconsin early Saturday morning.

Witness Nate Moll posted on X that he heard "the deafening crack of thunder" and then smelled smoke. He went outside to see smoke and flames coming from the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.

Firefighters received multiple other calls to 911 reporting the fire in the steeple and arrived on the scene within four minutes.

There, they found two people inside unaware of the fire, and got them to safety, then took on the firefight, which presented some challenges.

"(There were) narrow passageways, locked doors, and multiple stories of ladders to climb in order to reach the top," Madison Fire Department officials posted on social media. "Access was also impacted by the church bells and related infrastructure surrounding the bells. This gave the fire some time to continue to travel amid the intricate wood construction within the steeple."

It took about an hour fighting the fire from both inside and outside the church to douse the flames. No one was injured but the church's steeple suffered extensive fire and water damage, officials said.

While investigators have yet to give an official cause for the fire, they noted multiple witnesses reported a lightning strike moments before the flames began.