Storms Destroy Church, Create Destructive Waterspout
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Strong storms swept through Minnesota in two waves Saturday.
Kayla Hegna took photographs Saturday morning as firefighters tried to save the Hawk Creek Lutheran Church in Sacred Heart, Minnesota.
"After a while you could see some flames and then it spread to the steeple climbed all the way up the bell tower," Hegna said.
Fire officials say the small town church, built in the 1880s, was struck by lightning as storms rolled across the state.
"It was really hard. My family, going back many generations, we've all gone to the same church and just recently went under a bunch of remodels," she said.
It was one of several areas of damage all over the state from Saturday's thunderstorms. Isolated flooding in Litchfield allowed residents to kayak in their backyards. The town was hit by a tornado last week.
Woody Spitzmueller says the storms damaged boats, lifts, and lifted water trampolines on Prior Lake.
"I saw … what appeared to be a waterspout, probably I would guess the clouds were maybe 500 feet up," Spitzmueller said.
He had never seen a water spout in the nearly 20 years he has lived on the lake.
"The wave went up in the air and pieces went everywhere, and there was debris everywhere at that point," he said.
Luckily no one was hurt. While most of the damage in Grainwood Bay was cleaned up by the evening, the damage is more long lasting for other towns affected.
Hawk Creek Lutheran parishioners will be temporarily attending services at a nearby church.
"Just go to the same services with them until they can rebuild," Hegna said.
That church in Sacred Heart is a total loss. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help rebuild.
