MANSFIELD, Conn — Two fires, just miles apart, called in within just minutes of each other in Tolland County, but with one shared cause: Lightning.
Out of the two confirmed lighting-ignited fires that happened overnight Tuesday, fire crews said nobody was hurt and both fires were extinguished quickly.
Coventry Deputy Fire Chief Jared Dewey said he was shocked to see the damage done to a shed struck by lightning.
“The force from the lightning strike blew material from the top of the shed over 70 feet, according to the fire marshal,” Dewey said.
Mansfield Fire Chief Fred Mitchell Jr. said there was no doubt how the fire started at a home.
“We believe it was from the lightning strike because at that time there were active thunderstorms in the area,” Mitchell said.
First, lightning hit a home in Mansfield, catching the back of the home on fire and tripping the breakers.
Then, a lightning strike shot directly through a shed in Coventry, destroying the shed, tripping the home’s breakers, and ruining the water pump system.
Fire crews said both families are lucky their unlucky lightning strike didn’t do even more damage.
“They did everything right, they heard the strike, they saw the fire, the power went out, they called 911 and evacuated which is the right thing to do and waited for the department to come,” Dewey said.
The department leaders say many types of fires are often human error, but that is not the case today.
“It’s Mother Nature, where it hits it’s gonna hit, and with our climate changing these storms are becoming more volatile and active,” Mitchell Jr. said.
The Red Cross is working with the displaced Mansfield family.
Both fire departments said they are already watching the radar for the next few days closely as more storms move in. They told FOX61 they will be ready if anyone needs them for similar circumstances again.
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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