Lightning Strike Causes Heavy Damage to Home in Adams Township

No one was injured after a three-alarm fire that extensively damaged a home in the Field Lake Estates neighborhood of Adams Township on Thursday.

Adams Area Fire Chief Al Minjock said lightning struck the storage area above the garage of the home on Sophia Lane around 1:30 p.m. Minjock added the boom from the lightning strike was so loud firefighters were able to hear it from their new station in Seven Fields.

When firefighters arrived, Minjock said there were no visible flames but thick smoke surrounded the home.

“It was heavy, heavy smoke,” he said.

Firefighters from nine departments around the area, including , Callery, Zelienople, Harmony, and Pine Township responded to the fire. Minjock estimated damages to the home at $500,000.

Homeowner Heather Vitanza said she was the only one there when lightning struck the home.

“To me, it sounded like a gun shot,” she said.

Vitanza said she saw flames in the storage area and immediately knew the home had been struck. Shortly after, flames caused the roof above the storage area to collapse. As of 3:30 p.m. firefighters were still putting out hotspots on the smoldering building, which is for sale by Preferred Realty. The four-bedroom home was listed at $700,000.

Vitanza said she was thankful no was injured in the fire. She said her husband, Tim Vitanza, was at work when lightning struck the home. Her two children were at school.

“The most important things are out,” she said.

The home is inhabitable. Vitanza said she and her family would stay with relatives in the Pittsburgh area.