Emergency services were called to a house fire in St Leonards late on Thursday night (13 June) after a residential property on Cliftonville Road was reportedly struck by lightning during a thunderstorm.
The East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service received the first call at 10.50pm, quickly deploying four fire engines and an Aerial Ladder Platform to the scene. Fire crews from The Ridge, Bohemia Road, Broad Oak, and Bexhill attended the incident.
Fire Believed to Be Lightning-Related
A spokesperson for the fire service said:
“The fire is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike during the storm. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.”
Firefighters used six sets of Breathing Apparatus (BA), two hose reel jets, and one main jet to bring the blaze under control. Sussex Police were also present to support emergency efforts.
Fire Extinguished Within an Hour
Residents living nearby were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke in the area. The fire was successfully extinguished by 11.45pm, according to the latest update from the fire service.
An investigation is ongoing to confirm the cause of the blaze.
