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Lightning Starts House Fire, Kills 2

Kentucky thunderstorms causing trouble across state

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 20, 2012 9:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – Lightning struck a home last night during powerful storms in Louisville, and the resulting fire killed a bedridden elderly man and his granddaughter. The woman was trying to get her grandfather out of the house, CNN reports. "Lightning struck an 80-foot-tall tree, hit about 40 feet up, and it entered a phone wire that came in through the rear of the house," an official says. A 911 call came from inside, and firefighters arrived within minutes.

Violent thunderstorms also caused car accidents, floods, and power outages across Kentucky. The roof of a hotel was partially ripped off, and a man on a speedboat in the Ohio River was struck by lightning.

Lightning in Kentucky in 2010.
Lightning in Kentucky in 2010.   (AP Photo/The Ledger Independent, Terry Prather)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
SPHeroid
Jul 20, 2012 11:56 PM CDT
"Lightning struck an 80-foot-tall tree, hit about 40 feet up, and it entered a phone wire that came in through the rear of the house,".... Yet the 911 call came from within the house?..... Either a cell phone, a remarkably robust phone system, or total BS......
finkster
Jul 20, 2012 11:34 AM CDT
"Lightning struck an 80-foot-tall tree, hit about 40 feet up, and it entered a phone wire that came in through the rear of the house," Wow....this has a creepy feeling of the series of movies "Final Destination".....sad
Iffida
Jul 20, 2012 10:50 AM CDT
Very sad.  Lightening is very dangerous.
 

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