Cleanup Underway At Mpls. Church Struck By Lightning

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- About 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, lightning hit the top of St. Helena Catholic Church in south Minneapolis.

"It was like a bomb," said Mike Petruconis, the church's business manager.

It was so loud that it woke up neighbors.

John Sondaj works at the church and just happened to be there Wednesday, working on the church's fall festival, which is the third week of September.

"I heard this huge crash," Sondaj said.

The cross on top of the building was completely blown off, sending chunks of cement onto the lawn.

Petruconis said the church still held mass, with most parishioners, praying in gratitude that no one was hurt.

He said they do have insurance but it's too early to tell what the damage total will be.