Two homes were destroyed and a third was badly damaged by lightning off the north coast of Montreal during a severe storm that devastated southern Quebec on Thursday afternoon.
Police say lightning struck a house around 4:15 p.m., and set fire to a house on Cerisiers Street in the suburbs outside the island of Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac. Strong winds caused the sparks of the fire to spread rapidly to two neighboring houses.
An image from a video of a drone shows the consequences of lightning that destroyed two houses in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que. and damaged a third house during a storm on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (CTV News)
“I have never seen a lightning strike that destroys homes in my 22 years as a police officer,” the Insp said. Jean-Philippe Labbé with the Lac des Deux-Montagnes Police Department.
CTV News drone footage showed the aftermath of the intense storm on the residential street.
Two people were treated for smoke inhalation at the site, but did not need to be hospitalized. Nine residents were evacuated from their homes and have been welcomed by the Red Cross and family or friends, he added.
Firefighters extinguish a house with water after lightning caused a fire on the street Cerisiers de Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que. on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (CTV News)
“Everyone is fine. We are very happy with that,” Labbé said.
“It simply came to our notice then [firefighters] getting there the fire was quite intense. Many hours after they arrived, they were still fighting the fire. “
Firefighters from four neighboring municipalities helped fight the blaze and were still at 9 p.m.
Firefighters are fighting a lightning strike on a residential street in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que. Thursday, June 16, 2022. (CTV News)
Archived by Max Harrold and Stephane Giroux of CTV News Montreal