Just hours after the Easter service at Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge, a fire broke out and engulfed the church. As the fire grew, six alarms were raised, and the parishioners of the church and the clergy were scared and shocked.
The church's pastor, Rev. Robin Lutjohann, said that the fire started after the worship had ended, and on a positive note, there were no people inside the church. As the firefighters fought the fire, the people who attended the earlier service watched the church they were in a few moments ago.
6-Alarm fire Eats up Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge
According to the report in Boston Globe, the people in faith and the Lutjohann have given their trust in God that they would be guided and salvaged from the devastation. The pastor emphasized that in those difficult times, God is still with them and helps them in every way he could do.
The fire that was notified at around 5:30 p.m. received assistance from the Cambridge fire department, located at 311 Broadway. When they first arrived on the site, they requested a second alarm; as the fire grew, they then asked for a third and fourth alarm. According to the authorities, the fire hastily reached six alarms around 7:45 p.m.
The church's front doors were locked when the firefighters arrived. The firefighters were met with intense fire as soon as they broke through the front doors. They attacked the fire aggressively but could not put water on its source.
According to another source, Cambridge Day, the fire that destroyed the church raged unabatedly for hours. When a firefighter heard unmistakable cracking sounds coming from the steeple at 7:42 p.m., firefighters were ordered to keep a safe distance in case it fell.
A sixth alarm was called for, which dispatched more engines from Medford, Chelsea, and Newton. The fire was still being fought in the dark as it entered its third hour, with significant flames on the first level venting through the spire. A firefighter gave a lengthy time estimate for the operation. State Representative Mike Connolly, who was present, expressed concern about the community.
On Sunday, a text message was sent to Lutjohann inquiring as to where the church should gather and what assistance might be required.
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Fear and Hope for the Church Community
A story shared in Boston 25 News reported that the Easter Sunday worship service was held at 10:00 a.m. Just hours after, the fire hastily engulfed the church. Despite the tragedy of their place of worship, the churchgoers remained to hold on to their faith and were still hopeful that the church would be okay.
Churchgoers who were baptized there, Kristin Griffin and Diane Garner, expressed their sadness and grief as they feared the church might get serious damage and recovery would be hard. The firefighter arranged a collapse area as a precaution, but fortunately, the church remained standing.
No one was hurt during the incident, and Lutjohann believes that the church is not the building; it is the people and added that the church would remain and have strong endurance.
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