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A church was ravaged by flames in Indre-et-Loire on Sunday July 9. Lightning could be the cause of the accident.
The roof of the Saint-Georges church, in the small village of Descartes (Indre-et-Loire), is in flames. A thick cloud of smoke obscures the sky. At 7:30 a.m., Sunday July 9, a violent storm hit the town. Lightning is probably the cause of the accident. Residents watched in disbelief. “There was a big clap of thunder, and we saw a lot of smoke, then flames”, says one of them. The roof of the building was ravaged by flames, and the top of the bell tower collapsed.
Church classified as historical monuments
A shock for the inhabitants of Descartes, very attached to their church, classified as historical monuments. 50 firefighters were activated to extinguish the flames, and about fifteen residents had to be evacuated. No one was hurt. Religious works of art have been placed under cover to avoid deterioration. The county council is committed to partially finance the reconstruction of the church.