HADLEY — A lightning strike was responsible for an attic fire at 314 River Drive Friday evening, according to Jay Niedbala, who lives in the home with his elderly parents.
Multiple departments responded to the scene at approximately 7:30 p.m., according to Hadley police. Hadley’s fire department dispatcher confirmed that lightning had started the fire.
Niedbala said he and his parents were inside at the time of the strike but were not injured.
“It was loud, like a cannon going off,” he said. Niedbala said he went outside to inspect the damage following the strike, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Over an hour later, Niedbala said he smelled smoke and called Hadley first responders.
He said the family had previously been working to renovate the home. The roof, he added, is only one year old.
“Now it’s all been fired up and holes cut in it,” Niedbala said. “Kinda sucks.”
The family will temporarily stay the night either with neighbors or relatives who live in the area.