Shelby County was hit by an electric shockwave from Mother Nature early Monday morning as storms swept through, leading to two fires sparked by lightning strikes. According to the Shelby County Fire Department, one blaze erupted in a home on Tumblebrook Cove near Millington, and another fire broke out on Whitten Road, causing significant damage in both instances. Thankfully there were no injuries reported, as per officials.
As the sun reclaimed the sky post-storm, fire crews were cleaning up after the chaotic wake of lightning's fury. Action News 5 reported a homeowner, Marcia Monroe, arrived to find her Cordova home on Whitten Road severely burned. "Yeah, all black," Monroe stated, visibly in shock from the devastation as she prepared to navigate the aftermath with her insurance company. A burnt odor lingered in the air, a testament to the night's violent events.
In a coordinated response, both Shelby County and Memphis firefighters worked together to subdue the blazes. The Shelby County Fire Department shared on social media their efficient operation. They proudly declared their ability to douse the Tumblebrook Cove fire within 18 minutes of hitting the scene, highlighting the successful teamwork with the Millington Fire Department.
Meanwhile, an additional challenge emerged as over 11,000 residents suffered power outages due to downed lines from the storms. Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) grappled with over 90 outages throughout the day. A spokesperson for MLGW indicated that some outages were caused by incidents of vehicles colliding with utility poles, as per FOX13 Memphis.
With efforts continuing into the daylight hours, the utility company assured customers that they anticipated restoring all power by the stroke of midnight, aiming to return a sense of normalcy to a community momentarily shaken by the whims of the weather.
The Memphis Fire Department took point on the Whitten Road incident, where the second strike left heavy fire damage to a vacant home. The intensity of the incident was such that Memphis Fire Dispatchers also received parallel reports of the fire, according to WREG. The collaborative effort between Shelby County and Memphis firefighters was crucial in vanquishing the fire at the vacant property.
