Lightning strike blows out chapel windows as residents run for cover

  • Report by ITV Wales Correspondent Carole Green

A huge lightning strike ripped through a century-old Denbighshire chapel during Saturday night’s thunderstorms (June 10).The building was hit with such force that bricks were blown from its walls and an old stone cross was toppled from its roof.The lightning bolt also set off a small fire in Capel Hebron in Rhewl, near Llangollen. Firefighters rushed to the scene to find bricks strewn 40 metres up the street by the force of the blast.The Gothic-style methodist chapel, rebuilt in 1903, was left with a gaping hole, two smashed windows and a damaged roof.

The building was hit with such force that bricks were blown from its walls. Credit: Media Wales

As bricks littered Cymmo Road nearby, residents said lightning entered the building through the roof before blowing out two windows. Photos show damage to a narrow upper window and to brick sections around a lower window.Brad Beazley, who runs a photographic studio overlooking the chapel, saw the lightning strike.“My son, my partner and myself were sat on our balcony watching and hearing the incoming storm," he said. "It was rumbling non-stop for around 45 minutes.“The clouds above the house slowly went black and suddenly it began raining, very heavily. We went back into lounge to watch the storm from there, leaving the balcony doors open. There was so much rain that the view was just murky grey.“All of a sudden there was a big white flash and an almighty bang. I can only describe it as a massive electric socket blowing.

Bricks above the lower window were blown outwards and left strewn across 40 metres. Credit: Media Wales

"We didn’t see a long bolt of lightning, just whiteness around one particular zone at tree-top height. We live 400-500 metres from the chapel on the hillside above, but the strike felt like it was only 100ft away.“We all shot behind  the sofa in disbelief. The electrics went off in the house and car alarms began blaring in the area."I was thinking, thank goodness we weren’t touching water at the time. When the electrics did come back on, the cooker, computers and TV had all tripped themselves.”

Temperatures of 30C and thunderstorms forecast for UK on Sunday
High temperatures cause fires to breakout across Wales

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a call came in at 6.51pm reporting a fire at the building. Two crews were sent to the scene from Wrexham and Llangollen.Mr Beazley drove down to the scene to see if any help was needed. They arrived to find a fire engine on site already and around 15 residents watching the events.He said: “Shortly afterwards, two other emergency vehicles arrived. The firefighters managed to force open the chapel doors whilst they sprayed the roof of the building.“Bricks above the lower window were blown outwards and left strewn across 40 metres. By this time, around 15 quick-response firefighters were at attendance. Most of the fire was out by the time the crews arrived."Several trees in Rhewl were also said to have been struck by lightning. On social media, people in the area also reported power outages and “fried telephones”.