Westchase Home Struck By Lightning, Fire Officials Say

TAMPA, FL — Wednesday morning’s thunderstorms did more than light up Tampa Bay area skies. They are also being linked to fires at two homes.

The first report came out of the Lutz area of Pasco County. There a homeowner reported a fire around 6:30 a.m. The blaze ripped through the roof and attic area of the home at 2124 Zamia Loop. The family inside escaped unharmed, officials said.

Pasco County Fire Rescue wasn’t the only agency to receive a suspected lightning-related blaze call Wednesday morning. According to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, a home at 10523 Brentford Drive in the Westchase area also suffered damage in the storms.

That call came in sometime before 8 a.m. When firefighters arrived on Brentford Drive, they found smoke coming from the attic, an email from the agency said. Crews were able to extinguish the blaze. That family had also evacuated before firefighters arrived.

No injuries were reported in the Westchase fire, which is also believed to have been caused by a lightning strike.

Lightning strikes are not at all uncommon this time of year in the Tampa Bay area. Residents who believe their homes have been struck by lightning may initially have a difficult time telling for sure, Pasco Fire Chief Andrew Fossa said after the Lutz fire.

“If you think your house got struck, once it’s safe, go outside and look around,” he said. It can be difficult to tell for sure initially because strikes generally impact the attic first.

Fortunately, Fossa said, strikes on homes are fairly rare, but they do happen. “Today, the lightning was pretty severe.”

Photo of the Brentford Drive fire courtesy of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

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