Lightning Strike Causes Fire At Essex Park Apartments, Displacing 12 Families
ESSEX, Md. (WJZ) -- Twelve families were displaced after a lightning strike started a fire at an Essex apartment complex Thursday morning.
Baltimore County firefighters responded to the fire at the Essex Park Apartments in the 1500 block of Alconbury Road around 6 a.m.
A fire broke out on the roof of the three-story apartment building after lightning struck the building. The bulk of the fire was in the attic.
Julie Biscoe, who lives on the third floor, told WJZ she made the 911 call when she awoke to a loud noice that sounded like a transformer blew out around 5:30 a.m.
Shortly after, she smelled spoke and quickly got out of the apartment with her husband and two children.
She then pulled the fire alarm.
"I stayed out in the living room and heard like a cracklings sound," Biscoe said. "I thought it was water coming through the ceiling but turns out that's not what it was."
A total of 12 families are displaced due to the fire because ever unit has some type of damage.
12 units in building. All tenants have evacuated the building and now in waiting for the ok to get back in their apartments.
— Amy Kawata TV (@AmyKawata) August 6, 2020
A resident who lives on the 2nd floor tells me his whole apartment has about 2 inches of water.
One man who lives on the second floor told WJZ his apartment had about two inches of water.
No injuries were reported in this incident.
Right now, Red Cross is assisting the families who are displaced.
The fire was brought under control at 6:18 a.m.
4 adults and 2 children have been displaced after a lightning strike caused a fire at an apartment building located in the 1500blk of Alconbury Rd. #essex. No injuries reported and crews remain on scene after the fire was brought under contraol at 0618. DT0555 ^TF
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) August 6, 2020
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