Queen Creek home destroyed by reported lightning strike, officials say
QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - A reported lightning strike from Thursday night's monsoon storm destroyed a home in the Queen Creek area, fire officials said.
Rural Metro Fire crews were called to a neighborhood near Empire and Hunt Highway for reports of a roof fire caused by a lightning strike at around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 1.
"It was so loud, it shook our house," said David Brown, who lives in the area. "We lived at a quarter mile that direction. I woke up right away and checked on my son. I’ve never heard anything like that."
Jose Colazo said he found a way inside the house to help get everyone out.
"I started banging on the doors," Colazo recounted. "Ran in the house, started screaming to see if anyone was in there."
The owners were not home when the fire broke out. By the time first responders arrived, the house was already engulfed in flames, and the roof had partially collapsed.
Officials say they spent six hours putting out the flames.
SkyFOX video showed a huge home with the off burned away.
"To hit a house and cause that kind of damage, just shows you how intense it was right here last night," said Jennifer Boultinghouse, who lives in the area.
No other injuries were reported.