A severe thunderstorm with lightning, heavy rain and strong winds swept through much of Northwest Florida on March 9 leaving evidence of its strength.

Lightning strikes were one of the major causes of destruction, especially for one Navarre family on Molina Street. According to one of the residents, he said it sounded like a “gun went off” when lightening struck his mobile home. He and his wife evacuated and called 911. The Holley-Navarre Fire Department arrived on scene with the Navarre Beach Fire Department, Florosa Fire Department and Midway Fire Department also arriving for backup.

 

According to Chief Ron Norton of the Holley-Navarre Fire Department, they were able to put out the fire in a timely manner.

“The fire is out right now. We’re just looking for hot spots, but it’s all underneath near the middle of the home. It’s pretty labor intensive crawling underneath there trying to get to it.”

Norton said at the scene the fire was most likely the result of a lightning strike, and a later press release from Santa Rosa County confirmed that it was.

Lightning strikes also caused fires to a home in the 3900 block of Floridatown Road, a shed in the 4900 block Thoroughbred Drive, and another residential fire in the 5000 block of Persimmon Hollow Road, where lightning struck a propone operated stove, according to the release.

Lightning was also the cause of one injury when a teenager at the Learning Academy touched a door handle when lighting struck nearby. The student was transported to Santa Rosa Medical Center in stable condition.

In other areas of the county, there was also structure damage from high winds. A tornado warning was issued for the county. Damage to four homes in the 5000 block of Timber Ridge Drive was the result of high winds that caused roof damage, severely to one home. The home had 50 percent of the roof destroyed, which resulted in water damage.

Winds also downed a tree damaging a shed and above ground pool on Teston Drive, according to the release.