Monroe fire officials set damage at $700,000 after lightning struck and burned down a 62-foot-high Jesus Christ statue and an adjacent amphitheater at Solid Rock Church late Monday. Church leaders are vowing to rebuild the iconic “King of Kings” statue — also dubbed “Touchdown Jesus” — which alone was valued at $300,000. Monroe Fire Capt. Richard Mascarella said the other $400,000 in damage was to the amphitheater when flames from the sculpture spread to the back wall and roof. “The heat coming off the statue singed the entire back wall of the amphitheater and burned through it,” Mascarella said. “Portions of the roof are destroyed, so they will have to replace a large part of it.” VIDEO OF FIRE: Watch here PHOTOS: “Touchdown Jesus” before fire PHOTOS: Jesus statue during and after fire A pond surrounding the statue that used to be full of fish is now filled with remnants of the structure, made of fiber glass and foam. All the fish are either dead or dying, Mascarella said. Church leaders also plan to repair the amphitheater and the pond and the structures were all insured. Insurance adjusters were expected at the site Tuesday afternoon. The fire is not suspicious. It was ignited about 11:15 p.m. Monday during a severe thunderstorm that spawned lightning across the Greater Cincinnati region, Mascarella said. John Centers, a Monroe assistant fire chief who lives about a mile from the church, said he was outside on his deck watching Monday night's storm when he saw a very bright flash of lightning accompanied by loud thunderclap. At first, he didn't think much of it, “because there had already been so many ground strikes that night,” Centers said. But he could tell that the lightning had struck fairly close by and “it was a very significant ground strike.” “The pattern of light flashed all the way to the ground,” and was in the general direction of the church, Centers said. He soon realized that must have been the lightning that struck the statue because within four minutes of his witnessing the strike, firefighters were being called to the blazing statue. added by: 02
