A church whose congregation dates back 144 years caught fire over the weekend in rural western Minnesota during a thunderstorm and was destroyed, authorities said.
Bethel Lutheran Church caught fire early Saturday evening about 11 miles south of Battle Lake and "began to collapse before the fire was totally extinguished," read a statement from the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office.
No injuries were reported.
Authorities have yet to say what ignited the blaze, but the Rev. Todd Hylden said the stormy weather is suspected.
"Right now, it looks like lightning," said Hylden, whose church has roughly 150 members. "Thunderstorms came through, and fire started right near the steeple. Those who came by quickly after reported they heard a loud bang."
There were thunderstorms with lightning in the area not long before the flames were spotted and reported to fire officials, according to the National Weather Service.
Numerous fire departments send crews to the scene, 34246 140th St., with the first arriving to see the church already "fully engulfed in flames," the statement read.
Undaunted, worship services scheduled for late Sunday morning went as intended in the parking lot next to the charred rubble of the church, whose congregation was formed in 1876, Hylden said.
