SUGAR LAND – A Sugar Land family’s home caught fire this afternoon and a fire department spokesman told KPRC 2’s Jaewon Jung that they’re 99.9% sure it was caused by a lightning strike.
The home is in a residential area off of I-59 near University Boulevard, where heavy rain hit during Thursday afternoon’s pop-up showers.
“At that time in the afternoon, hundreds of lightning strikes came down in the Sugar Land area,” according to KPRC 2 Chief Meteorologist Anthony Yanez.
LIVE RADAR: Heavy rain moves southwest of Sugar Land, outside the Beltway
No one was hurt in the fire -- the family is vacationing right now so no one was inside the home.
Neighbors alerted the fire department, which got there fast enough to keep the home from having major damage.
Just last month, a child was shocked after lightning hit a Cypress home. The current traveled through the wiring of the home to a computer he was using. The boy was evaluated by EMS.
At that time, Precinct 4 Constable’s office posted this safety reminder: During thunderstorms, avoid using corded electronics and stay away from electrical wiring and plumbing, as lightning can travel through a home’s electrical system."