Lightning Causes Fire at Home of Military Chaplain

Lightning hit a Snellville-area home owned by a U.S. military chaplain and sparked a fire Thursday afternoon during the height of severe weather in the area, according to Gwinnett Fire.

The home at 6020 Timerloch Court, west of the city of Snellville, was hit shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday, Gwinnett Fire Lt. Jerrod Barrett said in an email.

A neighbor heard a loud pop when a lightning bolt hit the home, then saw that the structure had caught on fire, Barrett said.

Fire crews arrived on scene at 5:22 p.m. and found a heavily involved fire on the side and back of the house, which sustained significant fire and water damage.

“Crews deployed multiple attack hose lines to extinguish the fire; they also utilized an aerial ladder truck to knock down the bulk of the flames from above,” Barrett said. “Fire crews were forced to fight the fire from the exterior due to the intense flames and possible roof collapse.”

No was in the house at the time of the fire.

The homeowner’s sister told authorities that her brother is a military chaplain and is currently at Fort Bragg, N.C.

A total of 26 fire personnel responded to the fire.

Photo: Gwinnett Fire PIO