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SAVANNAH, Ga. () – An apartment building on Savannah’s south side was dismantled and is now condemned due to severe weather.
The building, in the Heron on the Bluffs complex, is one of possibly two buildings in Chatham County to catch fire from a lightning strike in 24 hours.
Fourteen families were displaced after the building caught fire Friday.
Savannah Fire Department Assistant Chief of 27 years Jack McCutchen Jr. told a structure fire of this stature stemming from mother nature is a rarity.
“We do have lightning strikes that might affect buildings on a smaller level,” said McCutchen, “It’s not really a common thing where we see a structure on fire where you see all the flames coming out of the attic.”
Then on Saturday a possible lightning strike hit a residence in West Chatham County on Grove Point Rd./Williams Retreat causing a fire of a much smaller magnitude.
Savannah Fire said when severe weather hits unplug tools and appliances within reason to minimize the chances your residence is struck.
“If it’s plugged in and the lightning strikes the building, it’s going to go to another source, so it could go through plugs and so forth that will affect your appliances,” he said.
On top of that, he said to away from water and windows and to immediately leave the building if it gets struck.