Monroeville Home Catches On Fire After Lightning Strikes Nearby Tree
MONROEVILLE (KDKA) - As storms rolled through Wednesday morning, some areas saw intense lightning.
In Monroeville, a bolt struck a tree and traveled a twisting path until it hit a nearby home.
The tree was split and burned from the lightning and the ground showed the initial path of electricity.
"It's real consistent with a lightning strike and I think the fire marshal will think the same," Monroeville Police Chief Doug Cole said. "It hit a tree, ran along a tree line, ran into a fence, ran along the fence line into the house."
The people who live in the house woke up a little after 8 a.m. from a noise that sounded like an explosion. Within minutes, a window was busted and then they smelled the smoke.
Tthe fire was contained pretty much to the inside of the exposure wall of the home on Jamison Lane. Luckily, it didn't cause more damage.
"The fire department responded quickly, arriving in less than five minutes. Their quick response kept the damage to a minimum," Cole said. "There was damage inside the house as well as outside the house."
After talking with the homeowners, officials think this house may prove the old adage wrong that lightning never strikes the same place twice.
"That house, according to the homeowners, may have been struck multiple times before," Cole said.
While officials are confident they know how this fire started, the Allegheny County fire marshals will conduct their own investigation as well.
RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Monroeville News
More Reports From Heather Abraham
Join The Conversation, Like KDKA On Facebook
Follow KDKA On Twitter
