Overview

• On July 21, a lightning bolt struck the Nikolauskapelle tower in Essfeld, igniting a blaze that firefighters extinguished without injuries.
• Initial fears of a collapse prompted fire crews and the Technisches Hilfswerk to secure and cordon off the 900-year-old structure, which was later declared stable.
• Thick beams were blown apart by the strike’s force, and emergency personnel rescued and secured sacred church artifacts during the operation.
• Falling roof tiles damaged several parked cars, with authorities estimating around €80,000 in property losses.
• The Ochsenfurter Polizei continue investigating the incident to determine the full extent of the damage and its cause.