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Crime & Safety

Lightning Smashes Through Roof of Batavia Home, Starts Fire on Ekman Drive

WATCH firefighters battle a house house fire caused when lightning smashed through the roof of a home shortly after noon Wednesday, May 22.

Batavia and area firefighters battled a blaze on the rooftops of a Batavia home on Ekman Drive after a lightning bolt smashed through its roof shortly after noon Wednesday, May 22.

The fire is at a home at 932 Ekman Drive, just west of Ekman's intersection with Raddant Road. The home is located just north of a neighborhood park.

Firefighters at the scene said the fire was believed to have been caused by a lightning strike, and that was confirmed by Richard Bandur, the witness who phoned 911.

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"I was sitting at the kitchen table, (and saw) a big, bright bolt of lightning—my back was actually to the park," Bandur said. "I thought, ‘Wow, that was close.’ I took a look to see if one of these large trees out here was hit, and I saw a real little wisp of smoke coming from the back of that house, so I picked up the phone and called 911."

Flames were seen shooting from roof of the home when first responders arrived, Tri-Com scanners said. Multiple units were called, including units from Geneva. It is uncofirmed as of 2 p.m. whether anyone was in the home when the lightning struck.

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"At first there was smoke, and then there was a lot of flame," Bandur said. "Then it died to smoke again, and then more flame. So I’m imagining as the attic filled up with smoke, the lack of oxygen stopped the flames from coming up. So there was smoke and flame and smoke and flame—and then the Fire Department showed up, and it was all smoke."

Ekman Drive was closed to through traffic, but Raddant Road remained open in both directions.

A strong smell of smoke filled the air as firefighters fought the blaze, some apparently from inside and some from the roof.

Patch will follow up with additional information when it is available from official sources.

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