Jesus statue topples over at New Jersey school

ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A statue of Jesus Christ has fallen over on the rooftop of a school in Orange, New Jersey causing students to be moved to a different school.

A fixture in Orange since 1892, the massive statue of Jesus knocked over by a strong wind, dangling 60 feet off the ground.

"You don't usually see the lord on his back," said John Buonanno.

Buonanno is the city construction official. He rushed to the Saint John Church school building when he heard, evacuated the day care inside, so no one would get hurt.

"It would bounce off the roof and land in the street. That's why we got it closed off," he adds.

The diocese of Newark says the original statue of Jesus was blown over and destroyed about 20 years ago in a violent storm.

This one was an exact replica.

And so the very delicate painstaking task of up righting and then bringing the statue down began.

All eyes to the sky.

The statue's arms outstretched.

First straps are hoisted over.

Then the crane begins to move and a few tense seconds later, and the statue is free.

The man who is savior to so many, getting the help he needed on this day.

Now that the statue is down you can see its about 13 feet long and a couple hundred pounds. Here at the base it's easy to see why it gave way.

The newly elected mayor of Orange hopes we have not seen the last of this statue.

"My daughter used to go here so we used to see it all the time. It's a symbol of hope to so many.. I'm sure the diocese will do something with it about can continue to be a symbol of hope," said Mayor Dwayne Warren.

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