Lightning damages two Tiger Point homes

Wednesday's thunerstorms caused structural and electrical damage to two homes on Mandura Road in Tiger Point.

Midway Fire Department Fire Chief Jonathan Kanzigg said firefighters responded about 8 a.m. Wednesday morning to Madura Road when a neighbor noticed smoke coming out of the roof of one home. Responders quickly realized when they arrived on scene that lightning had struck the roof of the first home and a home across the street.

While there were no large flames, Kanzigg said the second home had smoke smoldering in the attic.

“We had to pull down a lot of ceiling and installation to keep it from spreading,” he said. “Both homes were fairly large, one being about 7,500-square feet and the other 5,000 (square feet).”

Both homes suffered severe electrical damage.

Kanzigg said two firemen had to be transported and treated during the fire, but only one was treated for fire-related causes. An Escambia County fireman was transported to Gulf Breeze Hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion and was later released.

Initially, Kanzigg said he thought the second firemen had suffered from heat exhaustion also. However, it turned out to be a pre-existing medical condition that he had to undergo surgery for last night.

“He had a medical issue that just happened to occur on scene,” he said. “It was just bad timing.”