Lighting hit house “like an explosion”
11 December 2014
A South Harris couple had a terrifying scare when a bolt of lightning hit their house on Thursday morning.
Farquhar and Danielle Macleod said the huge bang felt like an explosion. They were devastated seeing the damage to their home they operate as Grimisdale House guesthouse in Leverburgh.
The chimney stack broke off and crashed down the roof, ripping off tiles on the way down.
Heavy blocks of masonry fell down though their timber veranda, leaving a gaping big hole.
Inside, the gas fire in the front room was blown out of the wall.
Furniture is damaged, walls have scorch marks and Christmas lights were burnt out.
The lightning blew phonelines and electrical fittings, and the house is without heat and light.
They spent the day trying to make the property wind and watertight.
Farquhar Macleod said: “I was in bed when I heard the explosion. I actually thought
lightning had hit my car -
“But the living room was just a bombsite. The gas fire was blown out of the wall and there were bits of furniture everywhere.
“It was total devastation and very frightening.”
Danielle said: “I thought the house was going to fall down.
“I was very, very scared. I was panicking. I didn’t know what happened.
“There was this big flash of lightning and a bang.
“The lightning strike went down the chimney and burst it, causing a lot of damage.”