The storm that swept through the capital region early Thursday morning left a permanent mark on one St. Albert home after it was hit by lightning.
The home on Salisbury Avenue and the tree next to it were hit leading to a small fire in the building’s attic.
Deputy fire Chief Darrel Bliss said the department was able to respond before the fire had any chance to spread.
“They knocked it down quickly.”
Bliss said it is unclear if the bolt hit the house directly or the adjacent tree and then sparked over onto the house, but the end result was the fire in the attic.
The incident singed insulation and shingles, but was relatively minor. Bliss said the fire department estimated the damage at under $50,000.
Despite the dramatic lightning and ear-splitting thunder that interrupted sleep, set off car alarms and lit up the night sky on numerous occasions, Bliss said there were no other reports of strikes in the city. Edmonton firefighters responded to two homes hit that night and the heavy downpour flooded several areas including parts of the Whitemud expressway.
Glenn Tompolski, the city’s public works director said St. Albert didn’t experience any flooding or other problems stemming from the storm.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary, which was good news for us for a change. We have been hit by a few big rains over the last few years.”
