Massachusetts

Lightning Strike Appears to Spark Fire at Danvers Home: ‘It Was Scary'

The lightning struck a house on Holten Street with four members of the Cross family inside; no one was injured

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Dramatic images caught the moment a bolt of lightning hit a home in Danvers, Massachusetts, late Wednesday night.

“So I was actually in bed I was watching a movie,” said Jessica Cross. “I heard a big bang.”

The lightning struck a house on Holten Street with four members of the Cross family inside.

“Shook the whole house,” said Mike Cross, who ran outside to see what happened and saw smoke coming from the roof.

“It was scary,” he said. “Especially when you’re sitting in the living room and all of a sudden you see a loud flash.”

Down the street, the Pabisz family had been on their back porch taking videos of the intense weather.

“It just was like blinding,” said Michelle Pabisz. “So bright and we just screamed and ran inside.”

They didn’t even realize two of the kids had captured the lightning hitting their neighbor's home.

“We were looking at the videos and we were like wow we got it,” said Pabisz.

Back at the Cross house, the damage is extensive. All three bedrooms have smoke, flame and water damage.

Mike and Jessica’s mom’s room took the worst of it but she was at work at the time.

“It’s surreal,” said Jessica. “I think I’m going to worry when there’s storms now.”

Nobody was hurt.

The Danvers Fire Department said it was called around 11 p.m. for a report of a possible lightning strike, and there was smoke inside the home when officials arrived on scene. Fire officials said the lightning strike "most likely" caused the fire.

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