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Officials say lightning caused fire that damaged 2 Johnson County residences

Posted at 10:30 PM, Jun 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-27 13:09:16-04

Intense lightning that moved through Johnson County on Sunday afternoon caused two serious fires, according to investigators.

A home in Stilwell and an apartment complex in Olathe were struck.

Owners of the home located on the 17000 block of Rosewood Street in Stilwell were able to get out safely with their two pets, but the home is a total loss, officials said.

The home's owner Galen Jones said the family was in a room when they heard a loud noise that sounded like a missile or a rocket.

“It literally, physically shook us. It was loud. A horrendous crash,” said Jones.

Jones' family wasn't able to save any family photos or heirlooms.

“It's the irreplaceable things that you’ll never recover, and we didn't have them inside of a fireproof safe or something. You think of that but you never think it will happen to you. Unfortunately sometimes, lightning strikes.”

Lightning also caused a two-alarm fire 10 miles northwest at Avignon apartments located on the 14000 block of west 118th Court in Olathe, according to authorities.

Fire crews evacuated everyone from the building and roped off a multi block area.

Twenty-five people in 16 units of Building 1 are displaced. The American Red Cross is working with those individuals to provide temporary shelter.

“We’re certainly lucky in a fire this big that we were able to get everybody out safe,” said Olathe Fire Captain Jeff Degraffenreid.

On Monday, people are waiting to get into their apartments; second floor residents have not been allowed in because the roof's structure has been compromised. Residents said it could be 24 hours before they are allowed inside.

Thankfully Jeff Knopf had his dad in town and was able to stay in a hotel with him. 

"I'm in from Indianapolis and am glad I was here when this happened," said his father Bill.

He said his son had a renter's insurance policy that should help him restart his life. He said his son had black belts in martial, a college and high school diploma which he said they will have a harder time replacing.

"Most of our family pictures are backed up digitally so we don't have to worry about that," said Knopf.

Knopf said his son put a picture of the apartment on Facebook and the support his son had gotten is overwhelming.

"He was getting text messages all last night, at 2 a.m., saying 'hey how you doing? Is there anything I can do?' The phone was going off in the hotel room all night long," explained Knopf.

Another resident we spoke to said he believes lightning hit two or three times. He said smoke came out of the building almost immediately.

Residents tell us Price Brothers, the owner of the complex, will find the displaced residents other comparable housing. 

 

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