17 escape injury after tree falls on historic church in Pleasanton
PLEASANTON – Seventeen people escaped injury Tuesday when a tree toppled onto a historic church in Pleasanton, fire officials said Wednesday.
Firefighters were called at 2:07 p.m. to Second and Neal streets about a tree that fell on Lighthouse Baptist Church, which was built in 1876.
Almost everyone was on the other side of the church when the tree fell, wiping out the nursery and toddler wing, pastor Bill Bryson said. It just missed the office where the administrative assistant was, Bryson added.
Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department Battalion Chief Craig Berchtold said firefighters got numerous calls about trees into buildings on Tuesday. The church was one of many.
An arborist removed the fallen tree from the church Tuesday night, Berchtold said.
Bryson said the nursery and toddler wing will be relocated to another part of the church while that part is rebuilt. The damage will not affect Sunday services or the Christian school.
Seventeen people, including students and teachers, were in the church when the tree fell, Bryson said.