Lightning strikes during severe weather in Seminole County, Fla., Thursday night are blamed for sparking two house fires miles apart, according to Local 6 News.
Firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at a home in the Heathrow community Thursday.
Officials said the Entringer family was watching television when the lightning bolt hit the attic of their home.
"I was with my daughter watching cartoons, it hit, we heard a snap, and she said, 'My cartoons went off,'" homeowner Dean Entringer said.
Firefighters were able to battle the flames until the fire became so hot it began to melt the roof, Local 6 News reported. Fire crews evacuated the structure because of the threat of a roof collapse, according to the report.
Firefighters eventually went back inside the home and were able to extinguish the flames and save parts of Entringer's home.
Local 6 News aired video of roof tiles scattered inside the home after the strike.
There were no injuries in connection with the fire and the family does have insurance, according to the Local 6 News report.
Also Thursday night, a home in Lake Mary, Fla., was destroyed when a bolt of lightning penetrated its roof and garage.
Lightning blew a hole through the garage at Hector and Vivian Aponte's home, sparking a fire that spread through the house. The fire destroyed almost everything inside the home, Local 6 News reported.
"All we have left is some pictures, her wedding band and my wedding band," homeowner Hector Aponte said. "That is all we have. Everything else is gone."
Vivian Aponte was inside the home when the strike sparked the fire.
Neighbors noticed the fire and called 911.
"I heard a loud bang and looked out and saw what appeared to be rain because it was real windy blowing off the roof tops and as I looked more closely it was actually smoke," neighbor Jay Polley said.
The fire was contained to the Aponte's home.
There were no injuries in connection with the fire.
The house was condemned early Friday, leaving the Aponte family homeless, Local 6 News reported.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2006 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and
Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
