Inside the family home struck by lightning leaving 10 foot hole and £20,000 worth of damage

Inside the family home struck by lightning leaving 10 foot hole and £20,000 worth of damage

To watch the video, ensure JavaScript is enabled and use a modern browser that supports HTML5 video.

A woman in her third trimester faced a £20,000 repair bill after a lightning strike obliterated a section of her family home, creating a 10-foot gap in its structure. The incident occurred in Gristhorpe, near Filey, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday, March 25, when the house was suddenly engulfed in a violent explosion.

“We had no idea what had happened – other than it came as a huge shock, it was terrifying,” said Tara Craven, 28, who was washing dishes at the time. Her husband, Joseph, 32, was in the bathroom with their two young sons, aged two and three, when the shockwave hit.

Residents described the event as a “bomb-like” blast, with lights flickering out and the house trembling. The family fled outdoors with their dog, only to find their property damaged beyond recognition. Walls were torn apart, ceilings collapsed, and the conservatory roof was entirely destroyed.

“We went into our garden the next day and found bricks scattered up to 30 feet away, meaning it was really powerful,” Mrs. Craven added. The debris also impacted neighboring homes, with one brick hitting the roof of a nearby car.

Firefighters responded swiftly to the scene, removing the damaged chimney and stabilizing the roof. Electrical sockets were blown out, and the air was thick with a burning smell. The family had to vacate their home temporarily, relocating to a Travelodge in Scarborough after the electricity was cut off for safety.

Meanwhile, the lightning strike caused a power surge that knocked out electricity for several homes in the Gristhorpe area. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service noted that crews conducted door-to-door inspections, checking for fire risks and offering guidance. Engineers from the electricity board were later called in to address the outage.

ArrowMORE: Amazon driver facing jail after casually stealing family’s cat from front garden

This site employs reCAPTCHA, which is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.