Family Faces Clean-Up After Lightning Fire

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — Firefighters watched hot spots at a Snellville home Tuesday morning after lightning struck the house the night before.

A dangerous weather system brought rain, wind and hail to metro Atlanta on Monday. Resident Stephanie Garguilo was inside her home on Tree Lane with her mother when lightning struck. They said a large boom shook the house, followed by flames.

"I felt it, and I was like, ‘Hey mom, did you hear that?" Garguilo said.

She and her mother escaped unharmed, but they said they felt helpless as they watched their home burn.

"Crews found heavy black smoke showing from the roof on arrival," Fire Department spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.

The family was relieved that their dog walked out of the house two hours after the blaze first started. The dog was not injured.

Firefighters said the call was just one of many calls they had to deal with Monday night. They said the storm limited what they were able to do.

WSBTV