Lightning ignites attic of Drake Landing home

Severe summer storms terrorized Okotoks last week as at least three buildings and one tree was hit with lightning during the evening of Aug 14.

Stuart Donaldson was surprised when he came home and found his maple ash tree in the backyard of his Downey Green house split right down the middle. His neighbour Don Gilbert found splinters from the tree on his deck two doors down.

I found a piece over by my barbecue. We heard it but we didnt know what happened, it was so close and we came and checked it out and just saw it, there was debris over by our house, Gilbert said. It was an explosion, Ive never heard anything like that.

Okotoks Fire Department responded to three lightning related calls during the storm a business that was struck on McRae Street, a house on Crystal Shores, and a house that was hit in Drake Landing. The first two received no damage, but the Drake Landing home received extensive damage including an attic fire.

Owner Chuck Shields wasnt home at the time, but his 19-year-old son Spencer was. Shields said his neighbour was watching the storm and saw Shields Drake Landing house get hit.

My neighbour sent a photo three or four seconds after it hit and the house was already starting to smoulder, Shields said.

Fortunately, another neighbour quickly came over and knocked on the door to alert Spencer to get out of the house, as he was in the basement and hadnt initially realized the house was on fire.

He didnt know because he couldnt smell anything, Chuck said. He did exactly what he was told to do, grabbed the dog and grabbed his phone and was out of the house in 20 seconds.

The familys bird was also rescued by firefighters who were on site quickly and were able to contain the fire to the attic. In addition to the fire, the bolt blew out a light in the master bathroom and travelled through the wiring, erupting out of a bar fridge in the basement.

Okotoks Deputy Fire Chief Pat MacIsaac said the department has responded to a few other lightning strikes this summer, and each year its something theyve come to expect.

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Lightning ignites attic of Drake Landing home