Driver loses control and crashes car into the grand portico of a Raleigh church
Christians often talk about the pillars of the church. A church in Raleigh lost one of its pillars Tuesday evening, but the damage appears to be cosmetic.
A car careened off Dixie Trail into the portico at Forest Hills Baptist Church, knocking down one of the four big pillars around the front door of the sanctuary. No one was seriously hurt, but the column came down in pieces, leaving its ornate capital lying in the grass.
The wood pillar, about 20 feet tall and about 8 feet around near the base, gave way easily. It dates back to 1960, when the building was completed, and church officials thought it might conceal a post of steel or other material holding up the portico, said Steve Komnath, the director of facilities services.
Turns out it was hollow.
“We were not sure,” Komnath said. “There must be a steel beam that carries that roof.”
While the pillar is wood, the capital is made of some sort of wood putty applied to a wood frame. Komnath said it appears to be salvageable, though it will take some finesse.
“Somebody who knows what they are doing will have to put it back together by hand,” he said.
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The crash involved two cars. Though police have not released any details, it appeared one tried to avoid the other, leaving tire tracks across the front lawn as it slammed into the church. Both cars had to be towed.
While it destroyed the pillar and splintered other wood features on the facade, the car didn’t damage the building’s brick wall, which is 18 inches thick.
This story was originally published February 28, 2024 at 10:43 AM.
