It’s pretty clear if you want to reduce the number of church fires, get rid of the steeple. Even 16-year-old Carl Bouley, a junior member of the Grand Isle (Maine) VFD, has seen the steeple at St. Gerard Catholic Church across from his home twice get hit by lightning. The first time was on his birthday in 2007. During a storm Wednesday evening, young Bouley, apparently out to prove that lightning does strike the same place twice, was ready with the video camera.
Bouley and his father, also a volunteer firefighter, joined other Grand Isle firefighters in checking out the church after the strike. There was no fire this time. The steeple caught fire in the 2007 strike. Read news coverage here.
