Touchdown Jesus – Lighting Strike – Ohio
A six-story statue of Jesus Christ in Monroe, Ohio was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving a blacked steel skeleton.
Insurance companies are calling it “An Act of God”
The “King of Kings” statue had become one of southwest Ohio’s most familiar landmarks having stood at the evangeliocal Solid Rock Church since 20004. The church and statue are next to the Interstate 75 highway in Monroe, just north of Cincinatti.
The statue was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, showing the torso of Jesus with upraised arms. It was nicknamed “The Touchdown Jesus” because the pose resembled a referee signalling a touchdown.
The same nickname is used for a famous mural of the resurected Jesus that overlooks the Notre Dame football stadium.
Lightning struck the statue about 11.15pm on Monday, setting it on fire – damage from the fire was estimated at $700,000 with another $300,000 damage caused to an adjacent ampitheater.