A lightning strike may have been the cause of a steeple fire at a historic church in St. Paul on Thursday, the fire department said.
The fire didn’t extend into the church in Frogtown and no injuries were reported.
The Gothic Revival church on Farrington Street at Sherburne Avenue was built in 1902 by Trinity Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, according to the website of Historic St. Paul, a nonprofit preservation organization.
St. Paul Firefighters put out a reported lightning strike fire on the steeple of the former Trinity Norwegian Evangelical Church in at Sherburne Ave. and Farrington St. in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
It’s now dual zone occupancy and two adults were displaced from a basement living unit; the American Red Cross has been contacted to assist them, according to St. Paul Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Smith. He said the building is apparently still being used as a church. A property record lists the owner as Church Inc.
Firefighters responded to the scene just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday and could see tall flames coming from the steeple while they were on the way.
St. Paul’s Department of Safety and Inspections came to assess the steeple and, due to its unstable condition, sidewalks and the street are blocked — Sherburne Avenue between Virginia and Farrington streets, and Farrington Street between Sherburne and Charles avenues. The closures will remain in place until further assessment is completed, according to the fire department.
The fire happened as a thunderstorm was underway and, while the official cause of the fire is under investigation, preliminary investigation points to a lightning strike.
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