Raleigh neighbors help families after lightning sparks massive 3 home fire

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Three north Raleigh homes on Silver View Lane remain surrounded by yellow caution tape. Neighbors living in the LongLake neighborhood described a feeling of heartache after witnessing a massive fire and devastation from a Friday storm.

“We’re devastated for the families, this is a close-knit community, and the families have just lost everything,” said Stephanie Bartsch.

Bartsch said she heard the loud explosion of lightning that caused three of her neighbors’ houses to catch fire.

“It was incredible, we could feel the heat in our yard… The storm was still going, lightning —daggers — were still coming down,” she said.

Raleigh firefighters confirmed the fire started from a lightning strike. They were able to put out the fire within 45 minutes, but the damage was significant. They confirmed three families were displaced.

The fire department said four working structure fires were caused from Friday’s storm. Firefighters received a number of other lightning calls that they also investigated while responding to other storm-related calls, including vehicles in flooded water.

Bartsch said the hardest part is seeing three families now having to pick up after losing so much.

“As I went to bed that night, I thought, they don’t have a toothbrush to brush their teeth, they don’t have pajamas to put on… they were just left with absolutely nothing,” Bartsch said.

She said it prompted her and others in the neighborhood to do more. In addition to checking in with the families and dropping off donations such as clothing, Bartsch said she and others helped create a GoFundMe page . Within just a couple days, the GoFundMe has already raised more than $20,000.

The GoFundMe read, “Within minutes, three homes went up in flames. We stood in sadness and shock watching the houses burn with our dear friends who own one of the houses… Thankfully, all of the families are safe.”

The page described the ongoing effort to support the three families impacted by the fire and to help them get on their feet.

The neighbor said she faced a close call just a few weeks earlier when lightning struck her own home.

“I’ve lived here for about 21 years and we’ve never had any lightning in the whole neighborhood and twice now in three weeks,” Bartsch said.

Bartsch said a couple neighboring homes were also impacted by the previous lightning strike, but fortunately the damage and repairs were not significant.

When it comes to the amount of support she’s seen in her neighborhood, Bartsch added, “I was not surprised by the response because these people are amazing, and they have paid it so far forward that people want to help.”

She said donations have come from within the neighborhood and even out of state.

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