Minister's bid to battle blaze at his church left him in hospital

Firefighters were called to St Colman’s Parish Church in Dunmurry, south Belfast, shortly after 1am yesterday.

The minister – Adrian McLaughlin, in his early 40s – spotted the blaze as he went to look for his cat.

He tried to combat it himself, but to no avail.

He suffered smoke inhalation, was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and kept on oxygen for about four to five hours before being discharged.

Rev McLaughlin (who has been in post at the Anglican church for about 18 months) was coughing a lot and is under instructions to drink plenty of fluids, said his wife Christine. He was resting when the News Letter called.

Instead John Williams, a 63-year-old Lisburn nurse who holds the post of diocesan reader (that is, he is not a clergyman but is licensed to take services), explained what happened.

He said they are not certain of the precise cause, but that the fire service is treating it as an accidental electrical fire.

“I’ll tell you how it was noticed,” he said. “The rector [Rev McLaughlin] and his wife have a young cat, and the cat hadn’t come in last night.”

While checking on the animal’s whereabouts, the minister saw “what he thought was the light on in the pulpit” and went to investigate.

“It was a glow coming from behind the pipes of the organ,” said Mr Williams.

“He ran out to the rectory and pulled the garden hose in. And it must’ve been electrical – as soon as he put the water on it, the whole thing went up.”

The fire service then attended, with five fire engines and more than 30 firefighters on the scene.

The church building itself dates back to 1908, and is a listed building (see panel).

Mr Williams said the damage is “very substantial”.

The roof is likely to need to be replaced, and he said he believes it may take 12 months “to get the church back into order again” so that it can be fit for hosting worship.

The interior has suffered damage to its stonework. A new sound system, installed a few weeks ago, is wrecked.

Rev McLaughlin had also recently purchased (at his own expense) a brass chandelier to decorate the church.

“It’s now lying in tatters on the floor,” said Mr Williams.

In addition, the main Bible which is used for scriptural readings was destroyed, as were hymn books.

Roughly 100 people attend its Sunday service, and two other churches – King’s Way and Dunmurry Presbyterian – have offered their premises to help.

Loss adjusters were at the site yesterday, and he was unable to estimate cost.

Mr Williams has been a life-long member and said nothing like it had befallen the church during his lifetime.

“It’s certainly devastating,” he said.

Since arriving at the church as minister, Rev McLaughlin has “put a lot of his own money into it, and for this to happen – you can understand – he is badly shocked as a result”.

However, he added: “We will rally round. We will rise from the ashes.”

Mr Williams added that it is still hoped the minister will be able to take the upcoming Sunday service.

A firefighter also suffered injury while tackling the blaze due to masonry falling on him, but he is not thought to have been seriously hurt.

The fire service was summoned just after 1am.

The incident was declared over at 5.20am.