HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — A family in Ottawa County may need to rebuild their home after a devastating fire that they believe was caused by a lightning strike.
Karen Burney said she was home by herself Tuesday morning during the thunderstorms when she heard an explosion. She said power was knocked out to only part of her home, so she thought there was an issue with the breaker.
It was when her husband came home soon after the explosion that they realized how serious the situation was.
"And he says, well, are you sure lightning didn't strike the house? Because it smells like something is burning," Burney said. "So he goes to the back deck, looks out the window, and there are flames shooting from the roof."
Burney and her husband called 911 and evacuated the home.
"The neighbors have told me that it was so loud down the street that it shook their house," Burney said.
The explosion happened while strong storms were moving overhead. Thousands of lightning strikes were recorded as part of those storms.
Burney said the fire chief told her the fire ran the length of the attic, and that the home is now inhabitable. The home may even need to be demolished and rebuilt. In the meantime, she and her family are staying at a hotel.
This comes after the family struggled last week amid the heat and humidity.
"In the heat wave last week, my central air was out, and so I just got my central air back, just to have this happen. I had it for three days, and here I am," Burney said.
She said she's just glad her family is okay.
Tuesday's storms caused widespread damage across the state, with downed trees and wires causing power outages and impassable roads. Consumers Energy is hoping to have power fully restored by Thursday night while communities work to clean up.
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