Lightning strikes Lawrence house, setting it on fire; Family uninjured
Lightning struck a Lawrence home Tuesday evening, igniting a fire and displacing those inside, Nassau fire officials said.
Around 6:40 p.m., the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department responded to a 911 call regarding a lightning strike and a subsequent house fire on Juniper Circle North in Lawrence, Nassau Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro said in a news release Tuesday evening.
Multiple occupants were eating dinner inside the home at the time of the lightning strike, Uttaro said. Once the home’s smoke alarms began to ring, the residents left the home.
Around 90 firefighters, including several from Woodmere, Hewlett, Meadowmere Park, Valley Stream, Inwood and Elmont Fire Departments, responded to the scene, according to the news release.
The blaze was deemed under control within 20 minutes, Uttaro said.
The lightning strike and fire caused “moderate damage to the roof area of the house,” the release reads. As a result, two adults and two children who reside in the home have been displaced.
No civilians or firefighters were injured during the event Tuesday event, Uttaro said.
Thunderstorms had moved through Long Island Tuesday evening, the National Weather Service said, and some storms had frequent lightning.
Nicholas Grasso covers breaking news for Newsday. A Long Island native, he previously worked at several community newspapers and lifestyle magazines based on the East End.
