VIDEO: Durban North couple safe after lightning strike
The Ruddy's Durban North home was struck by lightning on Sunday which damaged a number of rooms after tearing through the chimney.
DURBAN North homeowners are grateful that nobody was injured when lightning struck their home on Sunday night.
Rodney Ruddy and his wife Drene were home when the weather changed over eThekwini drenching the city in heavy downpours that were accompanied by damaging thunderstorms. Rodney, a retired marine engineer, said he was watching TV while Drene, a professional quiltmaker, had gone to rest for the evening.
“I remember it well because it was around 21:00 that Drene had left the living. I was monitoring the thunderstorm out of instinct,” said Rodney. “The next think I hear is loud bang and the house rattling.”
Unbeknown to the Ruddy’s their home had been struck by lighting which damaged five rooms in the house including a bedroom, bathroom, and crafts room where Drene works on her quilt making and ornaments business.
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“The lightning came in through the chimney which was sealed. The chimney was destroyed, the ceiling and insulation were damaged in the strike. Luckily we had the roof redone about 20 years ago and trusses were treated so did not catch fire,” said Rodney as he recounted the incident that left him and his wife shaken.
He said when the incident happened they grateful for Marshall Security’s quick response and their neighbours who immediately came to their rescue. “We were struggling to get through the fire department and luckily Marshal Security managed to get them to us quickly. They offered to move our cars while our neighbours took care of Drene and even brought us chairs while the fire department was working. Without them we do not know what would have happened. We are just grateful that we were not injured.”
His gratefulness was shared by Drene who said, “It could have been much worse.”
As they take stock of the damage done to their home, the Ruddy’s said that have been left questioning why the lightning struck their home.
“This is first and hopefully the last time that this happens. We have lived here for over 40 years, and it has never happened. Hopefully it does not happen again as we do not know what attracted the lightning to our home. Maybe our story can help others to prevent such things from happening.”
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