Crews tackle house fire caused by lightning strike

A number of firefighters have tackled a house fire that was caused by a lightning strike in Stoke-on-Trent.

We sent crews to the scene on Bambury Street, Adderley Green, after we were alerted at about 5.25pm on Saturday (21 September).

Our colleagues at Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service also went to the scene.

The lightning strike, which hit a semi-detached house, affected a number of properties in the area. Both the electric and gas supply in the area were isolated while crews worked at the scene.

Thankfully, no-one was injured.

The fire itself was very small, causing an external gas pipe to rupture.

Group Manager David Steele said: “Crews worked diligently at the scene of this incident to minimise the disruption and ensure those in the area were kept safe.

“The lightning strike caused significant damage to the roof of the property that it hit. We’ve put sheets in the building to try and minimise the damage to the inside while repair work takes place.

“While it is uncommon for lightning strikes to damage homes in the UK, we’re urging anyone who may experience something like this to make sure they call 999 as soon as possible. The quicker we know about an incident like this, the better we can respond and ensure the safety of those affected.”