Tree removal crews work on clearing debris from the roof of The Sanctuary at Woodville. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO
A tree that fell likely due to high winds ripped open the roof of a church in Woodville on Friday, causing extensive damage but resulting in no injuries.
Around 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Gethin Coolbaugh, co-founder and co-director of The Sanctuary at Woodville, was alerted by a group meeting in the church that a tree had fallen.
Coolbaugh, who lives next door to the church, found the tree had crashed through the roof when he went over to investigate.
“It fell right through the roof of our community room,” Coolbaugh said.
Fire crews arrived on scene around 11:41 a.m. to assess the damage. Hopkinton Fire Department Lt. William Krauss confirmed that “a large pine tree had fallen onto the building, leaving a significantly large hole in the roof line.”
“[There were] five people in the building, uninjured, able to evacuate on their own,” said Krauss.
Firefighters evaluated the scene and notified the electrical inspector and the building inspector. Krauss reported they were working on a plan for the property owners to remove the tree, board up the hole and work toward renovations.
“We removed some debris and removed some of their belongings to a safe place not in the building,” Krauss added.
As for what brought the tree down, Krauss noted that wind likely was a contributing factor.
Fire crews assess damage to the community room at The Sanctuary at Woodville. PHOTO/GETHIN COOLBAUGH
Coolbaugh said it “truly is a miracle” no one was hurt in the incident.
“There were many opportunities for lives to be lost,” he said.
He reported that crews were arriving on scene to remove the tree, and the hole would be boarded up on Monday. From there, it will be a matter of dealing with insurance, so the timeline for repairs remains in question.
“We are going to be staying open through it, beyond getting the basic cleanup out of the way,” Coolbaugh asserted.
While there is significant damage, Coolbaugh noted that the way the tree fell minimized its impact. It landed on the oldest part of the building right between two upright beams. Because of this, he explained, that section of the building does not need to be demolished.
He commended the HFD for its response and collaboration. “We’re fortunate to have the public services we do in this town,” he said.
Added Coolbaugh: “A lot of miracles [were] in play today.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help raise funds for repairs.
A pine tree sits on the roof of The Sanctuary at Woodville on Friday morning. PHOTO/GETHIN COOLBAUGH
Hello everyone I have been attending this church and a member of the Hopkinton faith community for years. They host many independent community programs including AA, spiritual retreats, counseling, piano lessons and so much more. In order to rebuild the Sanctuary’s community room I have started a go fund me for the church found here:
https://gofund.me/ff1d6dd1
Please consider donating whatever amount you are able to and help us rebuild this safe haven for all.
Are you familiar with Zelle? It is a fundraising platform that does not keep part of the donations.
Why the need for a gofundme? Was there not adequate insurance in place? The only out-of-pocket cost should be the deductible if they were properly insured.