Lafayette firefighters responded to five incidents involving possible lightning strikes as strong storms moved through Acadiana Tuesday afternoon.
The fire department was dispatched around 4:45 to a reported house fire on Daniel Drive. Upon arrival, they saw smoke coming from the home; they entered the residence and discovered the fire in the kitchen, with flames coming from a hot water heater closet.
The homeowner, an elderly woman, was home when the fire started. She told officials she heard a loud bang as the rain began, and then heard a water spraying in the house and began smelling smoke. She called 911 immediately and left the home without any injuries. Neighbors also reported hearing the lightning strike outside.
The fire was out within 10 minutes, and the kitchen sustained moderate fire damage. Investigators say the fire was caused by an indirect lightning strike. The metal piping to the hot water heater was energized and ignited combustible material, officials say. LFD also found damage from lightning to a tree in the backyard.
LFD responded to four other incidents involving possible lightning strikes Tuesday. None of those resulted in any fires, only the smell of something burning.
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