Crime & Safety
Lightning Strike Sparks House Fire In Olney, Officials Say
A lightning strike caused a basement fire and displaced one family in Olney Sunday night.
OLNEY, MD — A family is displaced after a lightning strike caused a fire in the basement of their Olney home Sunday night, officials said.
The incident occurred at about 10:15 p.m. in the 3900 block of Queen Mary Dr., Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer said.
The residents were able to escape the home safely. One firefighter suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
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The lightning struck a metal plumbing vent and caused a fire in the basement, Piringer said. The vent pipe was connected to a sink and surrounded by multiple combustibles.
About 75 firefighters responded to the scene, Piringer said. The fire caused about $275,000 in damage.
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(Photo via Pete Piringer)
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