Crime & Safety

Lightning Strikes Cranberry Home During Thursday Night Storms

Cranberry firefighters also assisted the Zelienople fire department with a small fire inside the wall of a borough home.

A townhouse in the Sunset Circle neighborhood was struck by lightning during the storms that rolled through the area Thursday night.

Chief Brian Kovac said a light smoke was coming from the roof of the home on the 400 block of Sunset Circle whenarrived on the scene at about 10:30 p.m.

The family who lives in the home, including a couple and their young children, were able to make it out of the home safely.

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“Everyone was all right,” Kovac said. “There was just little bit of smoke in the attic.”

He said an electrical shortage in the wiring caused by the lightning strike led to a small amount of insulation in the home catching fire.

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Crews quickly cleared out the smoldering insulation and then checked the wiring in the home, Kovac said. Firefighters remained in the area for about two hours to ensure there were no other issues with the home or the attached homes.

“We did a thorough search of the area to make sure there were no other problems,” he said.

As a precaution, the family spent the night at a hotel, the chief said. The townhome did not have any major damage and is habitable.

Along with volunteers from Harmony and Big Knob, Cranberry firefighters also assisted the with a small fire inside the wall of a home on Pine Street in Zelienople.

Zelienople Fire Chief Rob Reeb said firefighters were called the house at about 9 p.m. on Thursday after the homeowner's son spotted smoke. Because the flames were not immediately visible, firefighters spent about 15 minutes searching for the small fire and then knocking it out. 

The fire's cause is still under investigation, Reeb said. He estimated there was about $1,500 to $2,000 worth of damage to the home.


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