Fire/Rescue News - Lightning strike causes Hamilton Township house to catch fire

Press staff reports | Posted: Monday, August 10, 2009 | 0 comments

A lightning strike caused a Hamilton Township house to catch fire Sunday, police say.

The fire started before 7:45 p.m., in the 7300 block of Driftwood Lane in the Weymouth section of Hamilton Township.

Police say homeowner Ken Leary, 42, heard a loud clap of thunder before discovering his living room couch was on fire. Police say a tree in the rear of the property was struck by lightning, and the electrical current traveled through the ground and into the home. The current shorted out an outlet, which set the couch on fire.

After he called 911 and got his family out of the house, Leary tried to put the fire out with a neighbor's help.

The home suffered smoke and water damage but did not appear to have structural damage, police say. No one was injured.

Posted in Breaking, Atlantic on Monday, August 10, 2009 7:40 am Updated: 8:32 am.

Call Recordings

Part 1

Part 2