PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A lightning strike that hit a Palm Harbor home on Thursday left a teen with some minor burn marks on her arm and leg.
- Lightning struck home on 2400 block of Seneca Court
- Bathroom took direct hit, charge traveled along vents
- Home did not catch fire
“It sounded like a bomb went off and there’s just this huge flash,” said Torry Taylor, 18. “There was just sparks raining down.”
Taylor said she was lying on top of a bed when the lightning hit at about 8:30 a.m. The teen said the bathroom took a direct hit and the lightning traveled along the vents to a ceiling fan above the bed.
“From the ceiling fan, it branched off into the wall and you can actually see where it exited, ‘cause there’s a little hole right there,” said Taylor. “I was lying right there. So, it was right above my head.”
Taylor said that’s when sparks from paint chips and dry wall debris rained down on her. Still, the teen feels lucky that her home, located on the 2400 block of Seneca Court, didn’t catch on fire.
“There was smoke that filled in here, smelled like a burning metallic smell. I instantly called 911,” she said. “I’m very thankful I wasn’t anywhere near the bathroom.”
Spectrum Bay News 9’s chief meteorologist Mike Clay said despite this incident, being inside your home during a lightning storm is still the safest place.
“Generally, you are much, much safer inside,” Clays said. “In your home, away from windows and off electronics.”
Taylor said the electrical wiring in her home is damaged and the doorbell was blown off. She said firefighters told her the first point of contact was likely a pipe sticking out of the roof above the bathroom.