Wilmington family displaced after lightning strike Sunday night

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — We’re learning more about a house fire that broke out Sunday night, leaving one family displaced. 

The Wilmington Fire Department said lightning caused by Sunday night’s storm struck two homes—including one on Newkirk Avenue. That home only received minor damage. 

The other home was struck at around 9 p.m. on Shoal Bay Run and sustained major damage to the upper level of the home. A combination of fire and water damage forced the family living there to relocate. 

Assistant Fire Chief Derek Mickler said there aren’t many ways to prevent lightning, but that having smoke alarms in every room in your home—including the attic—can help prevent major house fires from occurring. 

“Make sure the batteries are changed out. If the smoke detector is more than 10 years old, let’s go ahead and replace that smoke detector,” Mickler said. “Have them throughout your house. Three out of five fire fatalities last year were in houses that did not have functional smoke detectors, or smoke detectors at all.” 

Mickler added you can also contact your utility company about getting whole-home surge protection to prevent lightning fires, or you can look into getting a lightning rod.