Two fires reported in Rock Hill after lightning strikes in Wednesday storm

Rock Hill Fire crews responded to several calls, including two fires, related to Wednesday night’s storm.

Lightning struck a home on the 500 block of Willow Blue Run about 7 p.m., sparking a small fire in a crawlspace, said Deputy Chief Mark Simmons. The strike ignited lint from the dryer vent under the home because the dryer vent was dislodged, emitting lint under the home.

Around the same time, lightning struck a home on the 500 block of McGill Street, causing an outlet to short and material close to the outlet to ignite, Simmons said. The fire damaged the flooring, curtains and TV, and there was light smoke damage in the home. Simmons said a neighbor broke a window and extinguished most of the fire before fire fighters arrived.

Lightning struck a tree and then traveled into a garage on Trellis Drive, damaging an outlet, Simmons said. Lightning strikes were also reported at a home on Mt. Gallant Road and the PetSmart on Hospitality Drive. No damage was reported but the power at the store reportedly went out at the same time, setting off a fire alarm.

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Two fires reported in Rock Hill after lightning strikes in Wednesday storm."