Struck By Lightning
In case anyone on Flickr wonders why I haven't posted any pictures ince June of 2022, there is a reason. On July 4th, 2022, while I was showing my '57 Ford Convertible at a car show in Hennepin, Illinois (about 25 miles away), a very violent storm came up, with torrential rain and lots of lightning. The car show was rained out, but it was raining too hard for windshield wipers to keep up, so a number of us decided to wait it out there in the park. While waiting, I received a phone call from my son that my 1901 Victorian home had been struck by lightning and that the fire department was on the scene. I arrived home about 45 minutes later. By then, the fire, which was confined to the attic, was out. The next door neighbor had called it in right after the strike. The local vounteer fire department had just returned from another call and were all still at the station. Their response was immediate. They did a very professional job and had the fire out before it could spread to the rest of the house. Although the fire damage was confined to the attic, the water damage (around 1800 gallons) was extensive, soaking all of the lath and plaster in the entire two story part of my ten room house. The house had to be completely gutted of all plaster, both walls and ceilings, down to the bare studs. Needless to say, the hardwood floors also had to be torn out, down to the subfloors.
It has now been rewired and insulated and the new drywall is being hung as I type this. New flooring will be on order this coming week. Meanwhile, I am living in a house owned by a close family friend. My antique furniture mostly survived, about 95% I would say, but everything is currently in storage.
The lightning strike blew this hole through the ceiling of the master bedroom, right above my bed.
Struck By Lightning
In case anyone on Flickr wonders why I haven't posted any pictures ince June of 2022, there is a reason. On July 4th, 2022, while I was showing my '57 Ford Convertible at a car show in Hennepin, Illinois (about 25 miles away), a very violent storm came up, with torrential rain and lots of lightning. The car show was rained out, but it was raining too hard for windshield wipers to keep up, so a number of us decided to wait it out there in the park. While waiting, I received a phone call from my son that my 1901 Victorian home had been struck by lightning and that the fire department was on the scene. I arrived home about 45 minutes later. By then, the fire, which was confined to the attic, was out. The next door neighbor had called it in right after the strike. The local vounteer fire department had just returned from another call and were all still at the station. Their response was immediate. They did a very professional job and had the fire out before it could spread to the rest of the house. Although the fire damage was confined to the attic, the water damage (around 1800 gallons) was extensive, soaking all of the lath and plaster in the entire two story part of my ten room house. The house had to be completely gutted of all plaster, both walls and ceilings, down to the bare studs. Needless to say, the hardwood floors also had to be torn out, down to the subfloors.
It has now been rewired and insulated and the new drywall is being hung as I type this. New flooring will be on order this coming week. Meanwhile, I am living in a house owned by a close family friend. My antique furniture mostly survived, about 95% I would say, but everything is currently in storage.
The lightning strike blew this hole through the ceiling of the master bedroom, right above my bed.