WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Lightning struck an apartment building here Wednesday morning, scorching siding and a porch light fixture and knocking out power to several units, but no one was hurt and no fire broke out, according to the Washington Court House Fire Department.
Crews responded to a report of a possible lightning strike to the residential structure and confirmed on arrival that the building had been hit, the fire department said in a Facebook post. An investigation turned up no active fire and no injuries to residents.
Firefighters had power to the affected units disconnected as a precaution so licensed electricians could inspect and repair the system before it is restored, the department said. Investigators found that several apartments in the building sustained damage to electronic devices from the electrical surge caused by the strike.
Lightning does not have to strike a home directly to cause damage, the fire department said. A strike to a power line or a nearby structure can send a surge through a building’s electrical system in an instant, which is what fire officials believe damaged residents’ electronics in this case.
The department urged residents to take precautions ahead of future storms, including using rated surge protectors on televisions, computers and other sensitive electronics, and considering a whole-home surge protection system installed by a licensed electrician. Officials also recommended unplugging valuable electronics when severe thunderstorms are forecast and, once thunder is heard, staying indoors and away from corded phones and plumbing until the storm passes.
“We’re thankful this incident wasn’t worse, and we appreciate our crews’ quick, thorough response,” the fire department said in its post.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Washington Court House Fire Department.
