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July 30, 2007

Update: Thunderstorms leave mark on northern R.I.

Powerful thunderstorms in the northern part of the state left much of Lincoln Mall still without power and included a lightning strike that damaged three cars in a Glocester driveway and caused a Burrillville house fire.

This morning, 20,000 customers were without electricity in Woonsocket for more than hour starting at 5:17 a.m., a National Grid spokeswoman said.

Lincoln Mall's Web site at this hour says all stores and restaurants except for Stop & Shop and Target are closed and that National Grid is working to restore power.

A fire brought under control this morning in a duplex house at 27 Gazza Rd., Burrillville, is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike, the Oakland/Mapleville Fire Department chief said.

Firefighters battled the fire that was reported at 9:10 a.m. today. Emergency crews determined the fire was under control earlier, but hot spots then flared up and they were continuing to fight the fire around 10:40 a.m., according to a police dispatcher.

The fire was mainly confined to the overhang of the two-and-a-half story house in the attic, said Fire Chief Joe Bertholic said. Bertholic said his understanding was one family had been home at the time of the fire. The family had left the home when the fire department was on scene.

Several trucks went to the scene on a morning when firefighters battled humidity as much as the fire. Firefighters pulled apart roofing and used various ladders in order to reach the fire inside the attic

-- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcello

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 5:01 PM | Permalink

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