Blaze destroys church: Lightning may have started fire at historic Hampden structure

(Baltimore Sun) - Betty Callahan arrived at her Hampden church before firefighters did early yesterday morning, only to see "fire tongues" licking the base of the steeple and then engulfing the 130-year-old bell tower and slate roof in flames.
Minutes later, about 6:30 a.m, firefighters were dousing Mount Vernon United Methodist Church at 801 W. 33rd St., as evacuated neighbors looked on in the gray dawn. Continued