First Baptist Church on Greenfield St. in Petrolia is closed after its chimney took a direct lightning hit during Thursday afternoon's severe thunderstorm activity.
Fire Chief Lawrence Swift says half the chimney is gone and some of the yellow bricks were blown as far away as the municipal parking lot.
"The roof of the church also sustained some damage as well as some neighbouring houses and vehicles parked nearby," says Swift. "Bricks were thrown hundreds of feet in all directions."
Fortunately no one was hurt because Swift says most were inside, waiting out the torrential rain that was falling at the time.
A damage estimate isn't known yet.