Lightning was the source of a fire that severely damaged the chapel at Lyman Ward Military Academy on Wednesday, according to State Fire Marshal Ed Paulk. It was the second time in as many days that lightning caused a fire at a church.

In Mount Vernon, a church and affiliated day care center was destroyed when lightning struck the Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

“We have had some very serious lightning the past few days,” Paulk said, “and this is an unfortunate by-product.”