COWETA COUNTY, GA — Following a frightening experience during the weekend storms, a Coweta County family has been allowed back into their home after a fire started by a lightning strike.

Jason Hamilton told Channel 2 Action News that the incident began when lightning struck an oak tree near his house, igniting an exterior wall.

“The fire department says it came up the gas line and set fire to the side of the house. It also burned and melted the water lines to the main house,” Hamilton explained.

The dripping water from the melted line may have helped contain the flames, preventing further damage. Firefighters managed to stop the fire from spreading beyond the outside wall. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the burned-out section of the house has since been boarded up.

Hamilton recalled the terrifying moment the lightning struck, saying it jolted him awake.

“I ran back through the house and looked, and went to the backside and looked, and then I could see all the flames and everything,” he said.

Investigators believe the lightning traveled up a gas line, sparking the fire and even melting a water line in the process.

With repairs underway, the family has returned home, grateful for their safety despite the damage.