STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21975, 9 June 1933, Page 10

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

HOUSE SET ON FIRE OCCUPANTS’ STARTLING EXPERIENCE BED TOSSED INTO AIR (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 8. The three occupants of a small threeroomed cottage standing in exposed country 'in Dallington, a suburb of Christchurch, had an unenviable experience during the storm on Tuesday night when lightning struck their home, setting it on fire and doing .considerable damage otherwise. Tiie family of three, Mr and Mrs Charles Watson and a daughterj live at 64 M'Bratney’s road. They were in bed when at 10 o’clock the full fury of the storm broke. The house was struck by lightning and set on fire. A terrific explosion was heard all over the neighbourhood as the flash struck the house. The windows in the two front rooms were blown out, the electric meter was damaged, and the bed in which Mrs Watson and her daughter were sleeping was tossed up into the air, throwing them out. The kapoe bolster under their heads was set alight, and the house rocked. Outside the air seemed to be ablaze with a blue flame. ’ A few minutes after retiring the Watsons were alarmed by the heavy reports of thunder that appeared to be just above the house. The women were already frightened and hid their heads under the blankets, but /were not prepared for the succession of shocks that was to follow. The thunder that roared like the bursting of high explosive shells told them that a violent storm had broken. Lightning flashes lit up the rooms from outside, and then suddenly with a report that was louder than the noise of thunder, lightning struck the house. Another peal of thunder followed, and on top of that came two heavy detonations which were heard a quarter of a mile away. The terrified family had the impression that the house was rocking violently as though some great force was trying to break it apart. One of the walls in the dining room was alight in two places and some time was spent in the fight to put the blaze out. An engineer said that the lightning travelled down the wireless aerial and light wires. From what he had seen he could not understand' why the house had not disappeared altogether.