Oak Ridge Today

About 11,500 customers lose power due to lightning strike at substation

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About 11,500 homes and businesses lost power due to a lightning strike at one of the city’s main substations on Thursday morning, officials said.

The widespread power outage was reported at 6:18 a.m. Thursday. Power lost due to the lightning strike was restored before 7:15 a.m., the Oak Ridge Electric Department said.

The Electric Department said there were widespread electric outages as storms moved through the area Thursday morning. The storms included high winds, heavy rains, and intense lightning. [Read more…]

Woman escapes, pets evacuated after lightning strikes home, sparking fire

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A woman escaped and pets were evacuated after lightning struck a home on Albion Road in east Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, 2017, likely destroying the residence, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A woman escaped and pets were evacuated after lightning struck a home on Albion Road in east Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, 2017, likely destroying the residence, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A woman escaped and pets were evacuated after lightning struck a home in east Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning, sparking a fire and likely destroying the residence, authorities said.

The lightning strike was reported at 105 Albion Road at 9:39 a.m. Tuesday. The home is just north of Emory Valley Road and just west of Melton Lake Drive.

The lighting strike occurred roughly in the center of the home, and it started an attic fire that spread across the house.

The female resident was watching television and she felt it, said Gary Williamson, Oak Ridge Fire Department engineer and investigator. She got out of her chair to investigate and saw smoke coming out of outlets and vents. The woman, who was reported to be okay, went to a neighbor’s house.

Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley arrived quickly and reported that the fire was already through the roof, Williamson said. [Read more…]

Lightning strike may have caused house fire on Graceland Road

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Graceland Road Fire

A lightning strike may have caused a house fire on Graceland Road on Thursday morning. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A Thursday morning fire possibly started by a lightning strike likely destroyed a home in west Oak Ridge and caused a few hundred thousand dollars in damage, authorities said.

The residents of the home at 118 Graceland Road knew their home had been hit by lightning at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. They heard the strike and found siding blown off the side of their house. They used a ladder to climb on the roof and check the home. Then, they re-checked it later before the man who lived there went to work.

But at about 7:45 a.m. Thursday, neighbor Chris Wetherall reported the roof of the house was on fire. The female resident, Yvonne McClellan, remained asleep inside, Kerley said.

Wetherall went to the burning home and banged on the door until McClellan woke up and answered the door, Kerley said. Wetherall moved a pickup truck out of the home’s garage and turned off the power. He took McClellan next door to his house, where she was evaluated by the fire department and Anderson County Emergency Medical Services. [Read more…]

Lightning strike causes house fire, damage estimated at $10,000

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Royal Troon House Fire Lightning Strike

A lightning strike started a fire at a home on Royal Troon in east Oak Ridge on Wednesday afternoon, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage, authorities said. (Photos courtesy Oak Ridge Fire Department)

A lighting strike appears to have started a fire at a home on Royal Troon in east Oak Ridge during an intense storm Wednesday afternoon, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage, authorities said.

There were no injuries, but the homeowners will be relocated while repairs are made, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The lightning strike occurred at about 2:24 p.m. Wednesday. It appears to have traveled into the home by either the electrical system or natural gas pipes, Kerley said. [Read more…]

ORFD responds to possible lightning strike call

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During a severe thunderstorm on Monday evening, the Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to a call of a woman who had possibly been struck by lightning.

The woman reported she was standing by a window at a Vanderbilt Drive home at about 7:19 p.m. Monday when she saw a bright flash of light and then had a funny feeling in her chest, ORFD Chief Darryl Kerley said Tuesday. [Read more…]