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from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

Struck by lightning

Aug 9 2002

By Peter Harrison, South London Press

FORTY-ONE households were evacuated after lightning struck a block of flats in Wednesday night's storms, which saw 30mm of rain fall in 30 minutes.

Eye-witnesses say they saw a bolt of lightning strike Sheppards House on St Martin's Estate, Tulse Hill, at about 6pm.

John Haines, 57, of Abbots Park, said: "I was standing outside my house when I saw the bolt of lightning strike the building.

"Ten minutes later I could smell smoke and saw flames - that's when we called the fire brigade."

And Dilia Agosto, 33, of Abbots Park, said: "I was walking past the block when I heard and loud bang, I looked up and could see lightning had struck."

Remarkably no one was hurt in the incident which saw 45 adults and 15 children evacuated from the 41 homes, but 60 per cent of the roof was damaged - there was no lightning conductor.

By 10.40pm, all but one household had returned home, one flat was waterlogged and the residents stayed with family.

Lightning also struck St James' School, on Old Jamaica Road, Bermondsey, shortly before 6pm on Wednesday. However, the damage was limited to a hole about one inch wide, with a few burning embers.

Elsewhere, Kennington Tube station was closed at about 5.45pm for 45 minutes after the ticket hall was flooded, and at Surrey Quays on the East London Line, one platform was shut from 6.35pm for an hour through flooding.

And the Jubilee Line was closed after problems with the signals.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman confirmed the brigade received 1,407 calls within five hours.

He added: "Although it was our busiest night this year there were no major injuries."

© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2002

(posted 7902 days ago)

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