Overview

• The steeple of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Paul was set ablaze on April 17, likely due to a lightning strike, and the fire was contained by the St. Paul Fire Department.
• City inspectors deemed the building unsafe following the fire, locking its doors for the first time in years and halting access for its caretaker, William Hanson.
• Hanson, who purchased the condemned church 14 years ago with $17,000 from his father, has lived in its basement parsonage and maintained it as an open-door ministry.
• Community members have offered assistance in cleanup and repair efforts, but Hanson has temporarily declined until fire investigators and insurance adjusters complete their assessments.
• Hanson views the incident as an opportunity to rally funds for restoration and hopes the rebuilding process will strengthen ties within the Frogtown neighborhood.