Here we debunk many misconceptions surrounding lightning.
OAK ISLAND, N.C. – A stunning event unfolded Wednesday evening on a North Carolina island after lightning struck three homes quickly within a seven-block radius.
The Oak Island Fire Department received a call just after 9 p.m. Wednesday reporting a lightning strike at a home. Although the property sustained some damage, no fire broke out.
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The Oak Island Fire Department said three homes on the North Carolina coast were struck by lightning Wednesday within minutes of each other during the night.
(Oak Island Fire Department)
While responding, crews were alerted to a second lightning strike that ignited a fire at another house. One fire engine diverted to this second call, while the secondary unit remained to finish the response at the first call.
Within three minutes, firefighters arrived at the home and found it engulfed in flames. They managed to contain the fire within 45 minutes, but the home is considered a total loss, with no people inside at the time of the fire, Oak Island fire officials said.
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As the second fire was being contained, crews responded to a third call regarding a lightning strike. As with the first call, this home sustained some minor damage, but did not result in a fire.
The bolts of electrical energy responsible for the damage serve as a stark reminder of Mother Nature’s unpredictable and sometimes destructive power.