Chatham County Fire shares life-saving steps after recent lightning fires

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Following a string of recent lightning strikes that sparked multiple house fires—including one deadly blaze in Jasper County—local emergency officials are urging residents to know what to do if lightning hits their home.

SEE: Lightning-sparked house fire kills Jasper County man

Chatham County Fire officials emphasize that split-second decisions can be life-saving.

“If for some reason your house does get struck by lightning, there’s things that you need to do immediately,” said Robert Catanese, Public Information Officer for Chatham County Fire. “Take notice—sights and smells that may have occurred from that specific strike—and what you want to do is identify where there’s possibly a source of the problem, identify it, get out, stay out, and call 9-1-1.”

Officials say being aware of unusual burning smells, sparks, or immediate smoke after a loud clap of thunder is crucial to catching a fire before it spreads.