Bryan man saves family from lightning strike fire
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Lightning struck a Bryan family home Thursday morning, igniting a fire in the attic. Now, this homeowner is thankful for working fire protection systems and urging neighbors to make sure theirs are working, too.
It was around 5:45 a.m. Thursday when Zackary Blevins said he heard a loud noise, then the fire alarm, and promptly sprung into action.
“I went inside and got my kids out and got my animals out, then I went upstairs to my attic, and I used two fire extinguishers and was able to put out most of the fire,” Blevins told KBTX. “First and foremost was making sure my family was safe, then after that, making sure I could save as much as possible.”
District Two Fire Department responded soon after Blevins took to the attic with the fire extinguishers, he said. Then, firefighters took care of the rest. What remained were smaller fires.
“The house was was mostly just full of smoke at that point, so they advised me not to go back into the house and [said] they were going to start taking care of everything,” said Blevins. “They got a thermal imaging tool and they were able to see that there was still a little bit of residual fire underneath the spray and foam. So, they went ahead and removed all that and started getting to work.”
Having to go through a scary situation, Blevins urged his neighbors and KBTX readers to check their fire alarms and make sure everything is working as it should.
“I was thankful that I had two fire alarms upstairs, inside my attic, and that’s what actually, you know, helped me find where the fire was actually coming from,” Blevins added. “Otherwise, I would have been looking for a while.”
For fire safety information or to learn about fire prevention, visit the College Station Fire Department here, or the Bryan Fire Department here.
The National Fire Protection Association, per Alpine Intel, reports that US local fire departments respond to 22,600 lightning-related fires on average per year. 19% of those were reported to be homes.
Follow this link to learn more about local resources regarding fire protection systems.
