Lightning Strike Ignites Cross Atop West Hempstead Church

Lightning struck the steeple of a church in West Hempstead early Wednesday evening during a brief, but powerful rainstorm. 

The enclosed, wooden structure above the Haitian Alliance Church, located on Morton Avenue, was blown to pieces by the lightning strike, which was heard and seen throughout the community.

West Hempstead volunteers firefighters arrived at the scene and were able to extinguish the small fire that remained on the cross atop the steeple.

There apparently was no other damage to the building. The Town of Hempstead Buildings Department was called to the site as the stability of the steeple seemed to be comprised by the event.