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Lightning fire destroys Georgia home
A Cherokee County family was left homeless after their home went up in flames following a lightning strike during this week's storms.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A family is now forced to start over after a massive fire ripped through their home.
According to fire investigators, a lightning strike caused the blaze in Cherokee County.
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Investigators said the homeowners were out of state when this home went up in flames.
The majority of the structure is gone. All that's really left standing was the garage with a charred car inside.
FOX 5 spoke with neighbors who heard the lightning strike hit this house.
"About 11:30, I think all the neighbors heard like a big boom, like a big thunder crash," neighbor Stephen Brown said.
Around 3:30 Thursday morning, crews were called to the home on Pinyan Lane in Canton.
The fire department shared this picture of the house engulfed in flames on their social media.
"I live next door and walked out and the house from the bottom to the top was completely engulfed. Just a complete wall of fire. You could feel the heat. I live probably 50 yards from the house," Brown said.
Neighbors said the family had lived here since about 2015.
Brown has been in constant communication with the homeowners who are currently out of state.
"Just matter of fact about it. Just knowing all the things they had are gone. By just knowing they're just starting anew," he detailed.
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The one-story house is located near Hickory Flat Highway.
"It's completely gone. Everything's been destroyed. The only things that were left are things that were wrought iron," he said.
Thursday afternoon smoke and flames could still be seen coming from the home.
It's hard to even make out what once stood here as mostly everything is now charred and destroyed.
"We're just really sorry that they're going through that. Just a tough time especially with Christmas and New Year. A bad way to start the new year," he said.
Fire investigators said no one was injured during this fire.
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