MACOMB COUNTY (WWJ) - A lightning strike is being blamed for kindling a Macomb County house fire early Wednesday morning, which also happened to be the home of a retired firefighter.
WWJ's Mike Campbell said the man was at his home in Macomb Township in the area of 23 Mile Road and North Avenue when he heard the lightning strike around 3:40 a.m.
The man, a retired firefighter, responded quickly and was able to get himself and his wife out of the home as it went up in flames.
Macomb Township Fire Chief Robert Phillips told Campbell that houses being struck by lightning isn't too uncommon.
"[Lightning] attracts to normally the metal roofence or any type of metal flashing that maybe in the house, so that draws it to that," the chief explained.
Campbell said the male homeowner was all too eager to jump in and help with extinguishing efforts, but the blaze was brought under control before he could.
While staying indoors during a storm is definitely safer than being outside, Weather.com stated that lightning can still be dangerous when inside your home.
"Over one-third of all lightning strike injuries occur indoors," experts stated, as about 1 in 200 homes are struck by bolts on average per year. "In order to avoid that, stay away from all electronic devices that are plugged into a power source during a storm — this includes corded phones, TVs and radios."
Officials at Weather.com also advised unplugging all electrical equipment, not only to protect devices, but to also prevent residents from being shocked by electrical surges.
"You'll also want to steer clear of turning on the water as electrical currents can travel through plumbing," they added. "If your home or the space you're in has concrete walls or floors, stay away from them, or put something non-conductive, like a blanket, between you and it. The same goes for any metal windows and doorways."
Lightning can be deadly in more ways than one, but taking precautions greatly minimizes the risk of injury. For more safety tips, visit Michigan.gov/miready.