A Maricopa County family's life was upended when lightning struck their home amid Wednesday's monsoon storms, causing a severe fire that engulfed the building. According to ABC15, the incident took place near El Mirage Road and Southern Avenue, resulting in firefighters deploying a defensive strategy to quell the flames. The home, which had been painstakingly constructed by the family patriarch over three years, was left with a caved-in roof and covered in ash.
Everyone inside the residence managed to safely evacuate, with no injuries reported in the incident. The destructive power of the monsoon was further emphasized by a rain gauge from the Maricopa County Flood Control District, noting that nearly .10 of rain fell during the storm. A "ball of fire" was seen after the lightning hit, neighbors described, one of them Judy Cutitta, recounted the intense scenes to FOX10 Phoenix, "It was so hot and there was so much smoke, and it was just unbelievable," she said.
Community members, familiar with loss from similar tragedies, offered support to the affected family. A neighbor, recalling their own experience from a fire two years prior, expressed empathy for the family's loss and offered guidance. "I saw us and them, like you can tell, they were so sad. Things burn and you can't get them back. There are memories and the hard work to build the house, and now we know the process. So I know that we can probably guide them a little bit," the unnamed neighbor told FOX10 Phoenix.
