ATLANTA (ABP) — Five more minutes, and a severe storm's toll at Third Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky., could have been much worse.
Roughly 100 people had gathered for a community ecumenical service Oct. 18 when a severe thunderstorm blew through Owensboro, possibly causing several tornados.
Thirty minutes into the service, the weather worsened noticeably, and congregants rushed for shelter in the church's basement. When they returned, they saw extensive damage.
“We went in, and I was just sick,” said James Byrd, the church's pastor. “We would have had people killed. The bell tower fell in the church. There were 30 to 40 people [in that area], and it would have crushed them.”
The storm was part of several in western Kentucky that injured at least nine people and caused widespread power outages and wind damage, according to Associated Press reports. No one at Third Baptist Church was hurt, leaders said.
When the church's bell tower collapsed, it destroyed large sections of the balcony, the church's grand piano and many pews. Stained glass windows shattered, dust scattered, the parking lot filled with debris, and the family center suffered water and structural damage.
“These things do happen,” said Ken Adkisson, a 54-year member of the church. “But we'll survive. We're just fortunate those people got out.”
Byrd said the church has insurance to cover what he estimates is $1 million in damages. Repairs are expected to take six months.
The congregation will soon decide on an alternate worship space, Byrd said.
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