Lightning hits Pascoag home during storms

As summer storms barreled across the state on Tuesday, one neighborhood in Pascoag was left shaken after lightning hit a home.

It happened as the first line of storms came across northern Rhode Island. A lightning bolt hit a chimney on Church Street.

"Went into the chimney, down through the electrical panel [and] blew all the electrical panels out and it also blew out the water pipes," said Pascoag Fire Deputy Chief Keith Carter.

Carter said the bolt started a fire inside the walls of the home, and several departments were needed to put it out.

ABC 6 spoke with the homeowner off camera who said she was sitting inside the home with her son when the house was hit. She said it was a very terrifying experience.

That woman’s neighbor, Rob Cabana, heard the whole thing.

"I was just laying on the couch, I saw a flash and heard a loud boom. [There were] bricks falling off my neighbor’s house," he said. "The closest I’ve ever been to a lightning strike."

Fire officials said there is no water or electricity in the home because of the strike and it’s not livable.

The Red Cross was on scene to help the family.