WATCH: Church That Posted LGBTQ+ Pride Messages Burns After Lightning Strike

A historic Massachusetts church, the First Congregational Church in Spencer, known confirmably associated with LGBTQ+ and Pride messaging, was reportedly struck by lightning on Friday and subsequently burned to the ground with its flaming steeple dramatically crashing down amidst the screams of witnesses.

According to its website, the church was established in 1743 and the steeple was constructed in 1863. According to The New York Post, the blaze began at approximately 3 p.m. EST and quickly engulfed the nearly two-hundred-year-old structure resulting in a five-alarm and ultimately six-alarm fire.

VIDEO: Fire destroys First Congregational United Church in Spencer, Massachusetts; officials suspect lightning strike may have sparked the blaze pic.twitter.com/jiuA6cHa1A

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According to Boston25 News, the church also burned down in 1862 and was reconstructed following that fire.

Several posts to the Church's Facebook account reveal support for LGBTQ+ and Pride as recently as 2022. According to a statement published by the church's denomination, the United Church of Christ (UCC) was set to participate in Pride celebrations as part of the "Open and Affirming Coalition" of the United Church of Christ.

The New York Post reported that no one was inside the church at the time of the fire and the structure collapsed approximately 45 minutes after firefighters began battling the fully engaged blaze.

Spencer Fire Chief Paul Normandin told WCVB, "As [firefighters] were advancing into the church itself, there was a fire in the attic and in the steeple itself.”

"We immediately went from a third, fourth and fifth alarm, calling in mutual aid from area towns across central Massachusetts," Normandin said. Cellphone coverage was also disrupted in the area due to the steeple serving as a cell tower.

The Church's interim Pastor Rev. Bruce MacLeod told the outlet that it's too early to say if the church can rebuild as its congregation reportedly has just thirty members.

Commenters on Twitter suggested that the fire took place following a Pride event, with some characterizing the fire as divine retribution. The DC Enquirer was unable to independently confirm that any Pride events took place at the church as of this report.

A church in Massachusetts gets the sodom and gomorrah treatment hours after Pride Month celebration pic.twitter.com/VYt0uXRrV5

— Taylor Day (@TABYTCHI) June 5, 2023