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Lightning struck a home in Saskatoon on Thursday and damaged a truck that was sitting in a driveway, knocking over the homeowner at the same time.
A significant storm passed through the province on Thursday afternoon, bringing thunder, lightning, rain and reports of several tornadoes along with it.
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According to the Saskatoon Fire Department, firefighters were called to a home on Bader Crescent, in the city’s Montgomery Place neighbourhood after a truck was struck by lightning.
Homeowner Eric Milne said he and his family were heading out to see a movie at the time. He said he opened his garage door, and the next thing he remembered was being flat on his back on the ground.
Eric Milne said he doesn’t remember the lightning strike that knocked him to the ground on Thursday. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
“I was about two feet away from the back of the truck, and lightening struck somewhere,” he told 650 CKOM.
“I’m not sure if it hit our tree or the truck itself, but either way, it arced between the two. I’m told by my wife and neighbours there was a big explosion, but I didn’t see it. I was right in the midst of it, I think.”
Damage to a tree in Eric Milne’s yard. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
Milne said his son and wife were about to leave the house when the lightning bolt connected with an outdoor lamp, then surged through the home, blowing some breakers inside, and started a small fire on the truck as the antennae melted and a tire popped.
He said he’s grateful no one was injured.
According to the fire department, there was visible damage to the truck, with charring around the hood and antennae, and the front passenger-side tire was flat. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
“We missed it by five seconds,” he recalled. “I was laying on the ground; I wasn’t sure I was OK.”
Saskatoon firefighters were called to the scene, and noted there was visible damage to the truck, with charring around the hood and antennae. A security camera was also blown off a tree, and there was charring to a yard light and an electrical switch inside the house.
An outdoor light at Eric Milne’s home was damaged by the lightning strike on Thursday. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
Power was shut off until a crew from Saskatoon Light & Power could perform an inspection of the home.
Milne said he’s going to call electricians to repair the damage to the outdoor light, and to inspect the family home. He said he’s also filing a claim with SGI and getting the truck inspected and fixed before he’ll even attempt to drive it.
He said he’ll also have the tree inspected to make sure it’s not going to fall down.
Firefighters were also called to a home that had been struck by lightning on Fernets Crescent, in Saskatoon’s Rosewood neighbourhood, on Thursday after a witness reported seeing smoke coming from the second-storey roof line.
The fire department said the home was under construction when it was hit by the lightning bolt.
“Investigation of the second floor attic revealed the lightning strike had conducted heat through an electrical line that led to a pot light in the eave at the site of the strike,” the fire department explained in a statement.
“There were some signs of scorching to rafters and insulation but no fire.”
–with files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff
