UPDATE: Wednesday at 9:24 a.m.
Jacki Sutherland heard loud thunder followed by a bright flash Tuesday night – common elements of a typical summer thunderstorm in the Okanagan.
But it’s believed one of those lightning strikes hit the roof of a Peachland home, sparking a fire, just after 6:30 p.m.
“It also sounded like an outlet had shorted out,” Sutherland, a nearby neighbour, told the Kelowna Capital News that evening. “Then my daughter called and asked if there was a fire in Vernon.”
That’s when she looked outside, and saw her neighbours house up in flames.
“It was pretty scary,” she added.
The damage to the house is extensive.
According to emergency crews on site, one person was in the house at the time of the blaze. They are now in the care of Emergency Social Services.
READ MORE: Lightning sparks grass fire in Glenmore
READ MORE: Out-of-control wildfire near Keremeos
UPDATE: 8:35 p.m.
A fire that sparked at the roof of a Peachland home following a lightning strike is now extinguished.
One person was in the house at the time of the blaze.
Damage from the fire is extensive. The resident will be put in the care of Emergency Social Services.
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Lightning struck a home in Peachland, Tuesday evening.
Fire crews are on scene of what is being reported as a structure and grass fire on Vernon Avenue.
The lightning struck the home sometime around 6:30 p.m.
Residents in Peachland are reporting visible flame from Princeton Road.
It’s unclear if anyone was home at the time of the fire.
More to come.
