Translation
The roof of the Saint-Georges church in Descartes was destroyed by lightning and collapsed. No injuries are reported. The roof of the Saint-Georges church, in Descartes (Indre-et-Loire), was destroyed this Sunday morning without causing any casualties by a fire, probably due to lightning, learned Agence France-Presse ( AFP) with an elected official.
"The fire on the Saint-Georges de Descartes church broke out around 7:30 a.m. The roof (500m2) was completely burned. It collapsed. Lightning is believed to be the cause of the fire" , said Sébastien Marchal, deputy mayor of this town of 3,500 inhabitants in the south of the department, to an AFP correspondent. "The whole town was awakened by strong claps of thunder and lightning around 7:30 a.m. this (Sunday) morning", indicated the elected official, specifying that "more than fifty firefighters (were) intervened, including some from the department neighbor of the Vienne".
Religious works "evacuated" The fire caused "no injuries" but "three nearby houses were evacuated as a safety measure. This concerns 15 people", said Sébastien Marchal.
"This church, built in the 12th century, but remodeled in the 15th and 19th centuries, has been partially listed as a historical monument since 1926", added the deputy mayor, specifying that "the religious works inside the building were evacuated to another church".
(post is archived)