PORTSMOUTH, Va. — For the second time in recent months, strong winds have knocked the steeple off of a Hampton Roads church.
The latest incident happened sometime on Friday afternoon, at Cradock Baptist Church on Afton Parkway in Portsmouth.
According to a video posted on Cradock Baptist Church's Facebook page, the steeple was blown off of the church's main sanctuary and landed in the roadway. Neighbors were able to roll it out of the road and as of Friday evening, it is resting on the sidewalk beside the church, in front of an empty Nativity Scene.
The church said no one was hurt and that no vehicles were struck by the steeple.
"The inside of the church is still OK," the narrator of the Facebook video said, adding that they are working to get a tarp placed on top of the church's roof.
Saturday's scheduled 5 p.m. service and an 11 a.m. Christmas service will both proceed as planned.
Friday's damage mirrors a similar steeple toppling that happened back in October, when the remnants of Hurricane Ian bore through the area and ripped the steeple off of the Galilee Church, near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. No one in that incident was hurt, as well.
