Fundraiser set up for family whose home was struck by lightning hits goal in less than 24 hours
An online fundraiser set up to raise money for a family whose home was struck by lightning and caught fire has passed its £1,000 goal in less than 24 hours.
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Fire crews rushed to the blaze in Springhill Road, Burntwood, just after 6am on Thursday.
Inside the semi-detached home, they discovered damage to a bedroom in the loft space.
In a statement, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said no one was inside the property on arrival and there were no injuries.
An online fundraiser was launched on Thursday evening for the family affected by the fire and generated more than £1,000 of donations in less than 24 hours.
A statement on the Go Fund Me page reads: "Hi, my name is Gina and this morning my daughter's house was struck by lightning.
"My granddaughter's ceiling came down on top of her while in bed and a fire started upstairs. My granddaughter was very very lucky to get out unscathed but unfortunately she has lost all her belongings.
"Clothes, make up, jewellery, everything a 17 year old has. She has nothing. All the electric items have blown up in the house and the roof has gone now the firemen have made it safe.
"They are living with us while they are trying to sort the house out. I thought I'd try and help them a bit with being able to buy some items. Please help if you can. Every pound is welcome."
As of 3pm on Friday, £1,245 had been raised for the family on the online fundraiser.
Darren, who lives at the affected home, said the lightning struck just three ft away from his daughter's head.
Outside the property, a pile of damaged belongings can be seen which were recovered from the bedroom damaged in the fire.
Dramatic pictures show the extent of the damage, with a large hole in the roof and loose bricks on the chimney.
Neighbour Andrew Harwood said he saw a flash when the lightning struck and described the noise as sounding like a "small bomb" going off.
His home was also damaged in the incident, including a large hole in the wall of his kitchen and living room and dents in his car as a result of debris falling off the chimney.
To donate, people can visit gofundme.com/f/my-daughters-house-got-struck-by-lightening
