SAN ANTONIO – Lightning storms that began early Monday brought a flood of calls to firefighters as homes from far West Bexar County to Converse went up in flames.
San Antonio firefighters responded to at least one house fire on the Northeast Side, which they attributed to a lightning strike.
Fire crews were called to the home located on Darien Vista around 1:30 a.m.
Firefighters said lightning struck a satellite dish on the roof of the home, then the fire spread into the attic.
About an hour later, firefighters in Converse had a similar situation on Rush Canyon.
A couple said their son had just awakened, frightened by the loud thunder, around 2:30 a.m.
Moments after he walked into their bedroom, lightning hit the roof right above them.
As the family was attempting to get out of the home, lightning struck and hit again, igniting a fire. It left a large hole in the roof on one section of the home.
The second round of storms later in the morning sparked a fire at a home in far West Bexar County.
"We received a call for a possible lightning strike at this residence. Upon arrival crews found heavy fire coming out of the front eave," said Division Chief Walter Ball, with Bexar County Emergency Services District 2.
Ball said eight people were inside the home in the 2900 block of Thunder Gulch when the fire broke out after 9:30 a.m. They all made it out on their own.
Firefighters later found a cat hiding inside the home and carried it out to safety. They also did their best to protect the family’s property.
"They were able to contain the fire in the attic, just above that master bedroom," Ball said.
He said the fire was just one of many calls his department received involving lightning strikes throughout the course of the morning storms.