4 North Carolina homes hit by lightning during ‘torrential downpour’ on Sunday

ABERDEEN, N.C. (WNCN) — Four Moore County homes were hit by lightning Sunday, including three at the same time, triggering a fire during an intense storm, officials said.

The incident happened about 6:50 a.m. near the intersection of Legacy Lakes Way and Warren Lake Road, which is in the Legacy Lakes neighborhood just south of Aberdeen, according to fire officials.

As storms moved through the area, lightning hit three homes at once, according to Capt. Seth Yarborough with Aberdeen Fire and Rescue. Just minutes later, lightning also hit a house in Southern Pines.

CBS 17 Storm Team Radar showed a severe storm and dozens of lightning strikes just south of Aberdeen before 7 a.m.

The lightning strike on the three homes near Aberdeen ruptured a gas line from an above-ground propane tank, triggering a fire, Yarborough said.

Flames came from the gas line at a home but did not spread to any of the houses.

“Luckily, it was a torrential downpour at the time — so it kept the flames at bay,” Yarborough said.

Crews were eventually able to access a shut-off switch for the propane, cutting off the source of the fire, he said.

The three homes sustained minor damage, according to Yarborough.

Weather officials said just 15 minutes later, a home was hit by lightning in nearby Southern Pines, near the intersection of E. Magnolia Court and Augusta Drive.

No one was injured.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.