2001 — March 3, Lightning starts house fire, Montgomery, AL — 5
— 5 Holle. “Lightning-Caused Deaths and Injuries in and Near Dwellings…” Jan 12, 2009.
— 5 AP. “Lightning blamed for 5 fire fatalities.” News-Courier, Athens, AL, 3-4-2001, p. 8A.
March 4, AP: “Montgomery, Ala. (AP) — A house fire apparently sparked by a lightning strike early Saturday killed two adults and three children in Montgomery, the city’s fire inspector said. Chief Fire Inspector William Davis said the 6 a.m. blaze broke out as a thunderstorm moved through the city.
“….All the victims were found in the bedrooms of the two-story wood-frame house and were apparently asleep when the fire spread.
“Davis said fire crews were on the scene within two minutes of the reported fire, but the house was well involved. About 35 firefighters took over an hour to extinguish the blaze. ‘Its still under investigation, but everything looks like a lightning strike,’ Davis said.
“The lightning apparently hit an eave on the rear of the house and moved through the attic.” (AP. “Lightning blamed for 5 fire fatalities.” News-Courier, Athens, AL, 3-4-2001, 8A.)
Holle: “Two adults and three children killed when lightning started house fire at 6 am.” (Holle 2009, 3)
Sources
Associated Press. “Lightning blamed for 5 fire fatalities.” News-Courier, Athens, AL, 3-4-2001, p. 8A. accessed 11-14-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=265438505&sterm=lightning+fire+montgomery
Holle, Ronald L. “Lightning-Caused Deaths and Injuries in and Near Dwellings and Other Buildings.” 1-12-2009, 20 pages. Accessed 9-7-2015 at: http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lls/lightning-caused-deaths.pdf