Lighting strike causes apartment fire, leaving dozens without home

Lighting strike causes apartment fire, leaving dozens without home

They may have thought the worst was over when Tropical Storm Isaias had whisked by earlier in the week, until a flash of light and crack of thunder awoke people from their sleep early Thursday leaving residents like Gumer Medina guessing at what had happened.

LIGHTNING SPARKED A FIRETHEIR ESSEX APARTMENT BUILDINGTHIS MORNING.

WMAR 2 NEWSJEFF HAGER HAS MORE ON THEINCIDEN(HAGER ST-UP) 21:08“The firestruck here at the Essex ParkApartments just after 5:30 thismorning sending all of theresidents inside this buildingyou see behind me scramblingfor their lives” (TRACK) THEYMAY HAVE THOUGHT THE WORST WASOVER WHEN TROPICAL STORMISAIAS HAD WHISKED BY EARLIERIN THE WEEK, UNTIL A FLASH OFLIGHT AND CRACK OF THUNDERAWOKE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SLEEARLY THURSDAY& (NAT SOT)18:14“And it shake thebuilding” (TRACK) LEAVINGRESIDENTS LIKE GUMER MEDINAGUESSING AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED.(SOT)---Gumer Medina/FireVictim 6:36“It was loud.

Itwas something fall& like apiece of metal fall straightto the ground, but it wright in the corner” (TRACKTAMEKA WINN LIVES WITH HER12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND 7-YEAR-OLD SON IN THE APARTMENTWHERE A BOLT OF LIGHTNINGSTRUCK, AWAKING HER INSTANTLY,BUT INITIALLY SHE JUST THOUGIT HAD KNOCKED OUT HER POWER.(SOT)---Tameka Winn/FireVictim 13:21“Then I startedto smell something so Ilooking around trying to findwhere the smell was comingfrom, and I couldnSo I just got up, banged on mykid’Get up!13:54“I smell smoke orsomething burning and thatwhen my neighbor told me,’Theroof is on fire.THE TIME PEOPLE HAD SPILLEDOUT OF THE BUILDING, FLAMESSTARTED SHOOTING OUT OF THEROOF AND SPREADING THROUGH THEATTIC SPACE ABOVE THE TOPFLOOR.

(SOT)---Fire SpecialistNicholas Tyson/BaltimoreCounty Fire Department :34“There was fire through theroof by the time the firedepartment got there.Fortunately, no one was hurt.They were all able to getout” (TRACK) AND FOR NOW THEYWILL HAVE TO STAY OUT.

THEBUILDING HAS BEEN CONDEMNEDUNTIL IN CAN BE REPAIRED ANDINSPECTORS CAN CHECK ITTHOROUGHLY, LEAVING TAMEKAWINN AND HER CHILDREN, LIKEOTHER FAMILIES HERE, WONDERINGHOW IN JUST AN INSTANT THEIRLIVES COULD BE TURNED UPSIDOWN.

(SOT) 14:14“It was kindof small and contained atfirst and then it just startedto grow.

We were out here.

Itwas pouring down raining.(HAGER ST-UP) 21:36“At lastcount, the American Red Crossis on hand and has now helped39 victims, representing some13 families with food, shelterand long- term recovery.Reporting in Essex, JefHager, WMAR 2 News”