A family in Hebburn, South Tyneside, had to flee their home after it was struck by lightning on Friday morning, causing extensive damage to the property's electrical system and a gas leak.
Lightning Strike Incident
Stephanie and Christopher Ives were inside their home on The Cornfields with their three-year-old son and their dog when lightning struck a TV aerial on the roof just after 8am. The strike blew out every electrical socket in the house and caused a gas leak. The family ran outside with their pet after smelling smoke, and a neighbour had already called the fire service.
Family's Account
Stephanie, 32, described the terrifying moment: "For the first few seconds I just thought it was lightening (outside) but when my ears were ringing it was like a grenade going off. It was terrifying, I was trying to keep calm for my son." Her son and their Jack Russell Chihuahua cross Milo, 11, were also frightened by the sound. She said: "My son screamed as soon as it happened. He screamed really loudly. He had never heard anything like that before and it was worse because everything blew up in our house."
The family noticed smoke coming from the living room media wall, where the doors of the electrics had flung open. They quickly evacuated to their car. Stephanie, who works for the NHS, said they were lucky to be unharmed. "It was all just so quick. We're lucky that we're alright," she added.
Fire Service Response
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We can confirm that earlier this morning (Friday 26 June), three fire appliances attended an incident at a residential property in South Tyneside. The emergency call was received by our Fire Control Team at 07:32, and crews from Hebburn Tri Station, as well as South Shields and Washington Community Fire Stations, were dispatched to a housing estate in Hebburn. The incident involved a property being struck by lightning during recent storms, which resulted in smoke being seen coming from the roof area." Firefighters used a high-pressure fan to ventilate the property, isolated the gas and electricity supplies, and left at 08:04. The North East Ambulance Service attended but no one required treatment.
Impact and Warning
The family, who are insured for lightning strikes, now need a full rewire. Stephanie advised others: "The lightning hit a TV aerial on the roof that we don't need. A warning to anyone - if they don't need it take it down!" She added: "I'm gutted if I'm honest but it's one of those things. It's not because of anything, it's Mother Nature being a bit crazy and picking our house! Everyone was ok in the end so that's what matters." The family will stay with relatives until they can return home.
