Lightning Kept OKC Firefighters Busy Throughout Night

Lightning lit up the sky Monday night as multiple rounds of storms rolled through the metro.

Many of those storms kept firefighters busy responding to lightning-related calls all night.

Eric Ukpaka was stunned walking out of his home Monday night finding a branch now laying on his car after the tree was struck by lightning.

“We had no warning. There was no sound. All the stuff you see in Hollywood the sizzle the crackle the pop we didn't have that,” Ukpaka said.

Ukpaka admits that all things considered the damage to his roof and car weren't all that bad.

But he was one of the five lightning strike calls Oklahoma City firefighters responded to Tuesday night between 9 and 10 p.m.

“Didn't hear anything. Didn't hear anything at all,” Ukpaka said.

But as more rounds of storms rolled through the metro in the early Tuesday hours, the lightning strikes continued.

“Between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., we had three structure fires. We believe two of those in northwest Oklahoma City were caused by lightning,” said Oklahoma City fire District Chief Benny Fulkerson.

One of them happened at a new home off NW 154th Street. The lightning strike caused a small fire in the attic and the damage is valued about $18,000.

Once the fire was out, firefighters covered the hole in the roof with a tarp to keep the rain from damaging the home further.

With more storms possible in the metro Tuesday night, Fulkerson said remember to protect your home by unplugging electronics and to go indoors when you hear lightning.