ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WWJ) - A lighting strike in Washtenaw County caused substantial damage to one home after the bolt hit the house and caused a fire during a storm on Wednesday evening.
The Ann Arbor Fire Department said on social media that crews were dispatched to a residence in the 2500 block of a neighborhood on Bunker Hill Road in the area of M-23 around 4:50 p.m. on March 23 after receiving reports of a house fire.
Once firefighters arrived on scene, they found lightning had struck the home, igniting a fire on the gas meter and in the attic.
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Additional crews were called in and firefighters worked quickly to crimp the gas line and subdue the flames; authorities said they were able to save the structure of the home and most of its contents.
No injuries were reported.
Although damage from the lighting strike was estimated around $150,000, the Ann Arbor Fire Department said the home can be repaired.
Fire authorities took to Facebook to remind the public that multiple fires are common with lightning strikes.
The house fire and storm comes as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared March 20-26 Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offered these lightning safety tips to keep yourself safe while indoors during a severe thunderstorm:
• Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing.
• Avoid electronic equipment. DO NOT use your computers, laptops, game systems, washers, dryers, stoves, or anything connected to an electrical outlet. Lightning can travel through electrical systems, radio, and television reception systems, and any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring. Equip homes with whole-house surge protectors to protect appliances.
• Avoid corded phones. However, cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm.
• Avoid windows, doors, porches, and concrete. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
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NOAA suggests the following if caught in a storm without shelter:
• Check NOAA Weather Reports before planning outdoor activities to avoid being caught outside in hazardous weather conditions.
• Watch for darkening clouds and increasing wind speeds, which can indicate developing thunderstorms.
• Follow the National Weather Service lighting safety slogan, "When thunder roars, go indoors." Find a safe, enclosed shelter indoors or inside your vehicle with the windows rolled up.
• Do NOT lie down. Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away.
• Separate: if you are in a group during a thunderstorm, separate from each other. This small action can reduce the number of injuries if lightning strikes the ground.
• DO NOT stay in open vehicles, structures, and spaces. During a thunderstorm, avoid open vehicles such as convertibles, motorcycles, and golf carts. Be sure to avoid open structures such as porches, gazebos, baseball dugouts, and sports arenas. And stay away from open spaces such as golf courses, parks, playgrounds, ponds, lakes, swimming pools, and beaches.
• DO NOT stay near tall structures and DO NOT lie on concrete floors during a thunderstorm. Also, avoid leaning on concrete walls. Many concrete walls are built with metal wires or bars inside—lightning can travel through these materials.
Listeners can stay up-to-date with the latest weather updates with WWJ's LIVE Traffic and Weather on the 8s.
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