ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – A lightning bolt hit the roof of a home in Ormond Beach on Friday, fire officials said.
Crews with Ormond Beach Fire Rescue and Volusia County Fire Rescue learned of the situation, which was reported as a house fire, at about 6 p.m. in the 900 block of Northbrook Drive.
Crews were able to put out the fire, containing it to only roof damage.
The city of Ormond Beach issued a brief statement Friday night confirming that the fire was indeed caused by the lightning strike. The four occupants and their two dogs were safely evacuated from the home without injury.
"(We) followed down the copper piping for the air conditioning," Battalion Commander David King said. "You can see the path that the lightning bolt took. So, lightning has a lot of power to it."
Rose Carloni said she fell to the ground after the large bolt hit the roof of her son's home.
"I was on the patio, and suddenly, a bolt of lightning like I've never seen hit the ground about five feet away from me," Carloni said. "(I saw an) orange light (and it) pushed me off the chair. I felt a shock."
Lyle Shearer, who lives next door, said he thought the lightning bolt hit his home.
"I saw this lightning and it went 'Boom!' And I said, 'Oh my gosh.' I go, 'That just hit my house,'" Shearer said. "Smoke is pouring out and then all of a sudden, about 20 seconds later, here comes the fire out of the roof and I'm like, 'Wow! I got to get my neighbors out of the house.'"
Carloni said her family inside had no idea that their roof had caught fire.
"The lights went out and we were concerned about that," Carloni said.
Officials said the fire caused about $45,000 in damage.