Published: December 19, 2007 08:07 am         

NEW: No one injured as boiler explodes in Martinsville church

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — A boiler exploded in a Martinsville church, causing extensive damage but no injuries.

People were filling food baskets at the First Church of the Nazarene Tuesday when the explosion occurred.

The blast bowed out two walls on the east side of the church, damaged a center support wall in the main building and knocked down a small section of the brick wall near the boiler.

The food baskets were being filled in another part of the church, which was not affected by the explosion. Senior Pastor Stacy Allen said the force of the blast damaged the Christmas tree set up in the front of the sanctuary.

The church janitor said the boiler had been malfunctioning and a repair crew was at the church last week.