HOUSTON – A lightning strike from afternoon thunderstorms led to a fire at an apartment complex near Sharpstown Park Golf Course Saturday, according to the Houston Fire Department.
It happened in the 6500 block of Harbor Town Drive.
No one was injured, but several families were displaced by the fire. Authorities said Monday that there was $130,000 worth of estimated damage.
Lightning struck the roof of the complex which started a fire which spread quickly through the attic. One man, who was home when the lightning struck, described what he witnessed.
“I was in my room and I smelled the fire and went to check and through the wall, I saw smoke coming out, so at that point I called my mom and the fire department and they came, but I tried to get everything out but I couldn’t and at that point it was burning and I was suffocating myself too and I ran to this house to put my stuff in there and that’s about it. We lost everything,” said Esin Murillo.
Everyone made it out safely, including Murillo’s cat. He said he does have insurance.
In total, four to five families were forced out of their homes.
The American Red Cross is assisting the families displaced.