Summary
A fire destroyed a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Te Hauke, New Zealand, but a portrait of Jesus remained undamaged. Firefighters contained the fire, and an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause.
Key Facts
- The fire took place in Te Hauke, New Zealand, in a chapel used by about 100 people weekly.
- Local firefighters arrived at the scene early Sunday morning and stopped the fire from spreading to the church's administrative area.
- The chapel was completely destroyed by the fire, but a portrait of Jesus was unharmed.
- About 200 community members attended a Māori prayer ceremony on the chapel grounds in the evening.
- The cause of the fire is still unknown, and an investigation is in progress.
- Local leaders expressed gratitude that there were no injuries and plan to rebuild the chapel.
- People are advised to avoid the fire-damaged building for safety reasons.
