'Something out of a movie.' Confirmed lightning strike sets fire to house in Cornwall
The homeowner tells News 12 the lightning strike on Racoon Lane sounded and felt like a bomb hitting his house.
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Storms packed a back-to-back punch this week in already hard-hit Orange County – this time with a lightning strike, downed trees and thousands of electric customers left in the dark.
“It was something out of a movie," said Freddie Marotta.
Lightning struck Marotta's house on Racoon Avenue in Cornwall and set it on fire Friday morning with him inside.
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News 12 viewers shared images of the storm from all over Orange County, showing downed tree branches in Westtown, as well as hail and more flooding in already hard-hit Highland Falls.
Rescuers gave News 12 video of a mangled car that washed out in Cornwall’s flooding Sunday with a reminder for people not to drive through floodwaters as these intense storms continue.
“That vehicle went about a mile down the stream," said Cornwall Fire Chief Pat Hines. “The people were clinging to a tree. We secured them with ropes and were able to lift them up onto our ladders.”
Friday's storm left thousands without power. A representative for Orange & Rockland says downed trees fell on transmission lines in Westtown and knocked out power in several parts of western Orange County.
