In Daylight, Loss Of Wakefield Landmark Is Tough To See

WAKEFIELD - In daylight, it was even more difficult to see.

Wakefield's First Baptist Church, a town landmark since it opened almost 150 years ago, was a total loss after what is believed to be a lightning strike Tuesday night and a seven-alarm fire that firefighters were still pouring water on Wednesday morning.

"Horrible," said Wakefield Town Administrator Stephen Maio, whose office is just across the street from the church on Lafayette Street. "People that had baptisms and weddings there, members of the parish. All the people who went to school at the Tall Spire School, kids that went there for preschool and their families, including my siblings."

Maio praised the work of first responders for saving not only town hall but Artichokes, a restaurant on the opposite side of the church and just steps from Lake Quannapowitt.

"We had mutual aid from over 20 communities working together under our fire chief [Michael Sullivan], who did a masterful job," said Maio. "At the end of the day we had the devastation of a landmark, an icon in town. But it was contained, no one was injured, no one was hurt and we are resolved with them to rebuild."

More than 100 firefighters from about two dozen fire departments used 15 hydrants to dump several million gallons of water on the fire.

"This fire was throwing off a tremendous amount of heat and required an immense amount of resources to knock down," Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan said.

Three firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries.

The church posted a statement on its website Wednesday:

"While we lost our historic building from a lightning strike this week, we praise Jesus that our church community was kept safe. A very big thank you to the many firefighters who did their jobs with excellence, and to the outpouring of support from the community.

We know that we serve a God who specializes in restoring brokenness and who can bring beauty even from ashes. So we move into the future with trust, hope, and gratitude."

If you would like to donate financially to the First Baptist Church of Wakefield, you can send a check to 8 Lafayette St, Wakefield, MA 01880 (mail will be forwarded) or click here to give via GoFundMe.

Photos by Bob Holmes