Lightning strike sparks fire at Hicksville firefighter's home during storm
HICKSVILLE, New York (WABC) -- Lightning struck a Hicksville firefighter's home during Wednesday morning's storms, sparking a fire.
The front of the Hemp Lane house was struck just after 3:15 a.m., jolting the family from their sleep.
Fire quickly spread to the attic as fellow firefighters rushed inside to put out the flames.
"Around 3 a.m., right during the height of the storm. Lightning strike is actually what woke him up. The family got out. His wife and his son got out pretty quick," Hicksville Fire Chief Mike Murphy said. "When we arrived, the fire was already showing out the one section of the roof. It was a pretty good lightning hit. You can tell by the pattern in the roof, the lightning came into the house. And it was also witnessed, the sound that he heard, just prior to it. It was a clear indication it was a lightning strike."
A couple, their adult son and a cat and dog all safely made it out of this home.
Fifty firefighters from six departments responded, according to Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro.
He told Eyewitness News investigators used several apps to pinpoint where lightning strikes, and that is partly how they confirmed it was the cause of the fire.
"Our fire marshal investigators and some of the investigators with the Arson Bomb Squad for the county police utilize a lot of apps out there and they have an app in particular that shows active lightning strikes," Uttaro said.
There was also damage to a gas line in the home that had evidence of lightning, according to the fire marshal.
It took about an hour for firefighters to get the fire fully under control.
"I am pretty sure his life was saved by smoke detectors," Uttaro said. "Without those smoke detectors who knows, a lot of times stories start tragic because there weren't working smoke detectors to alert people, especially at night when they are sleeping."
Firefighters brought over sheets of wood to help their fellow firefighter board up the damaged portion of the house.
No injuries were reported.
The home has been deemed uninhabitable.
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