By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
A 1:50 pm lightning strike that hit a tree on May Street in front of the 205 Apartment Building destroyed the tree and blew debris all over the site, blew multiple windows in and even blew a hole in an apartment wall, Clare Fire Chief Jim Chapman said.
The occupant of that apartment said flying debris that came into the apartment through the hole in the wall nearly hit her, but she wasn’t hurt. Chapman added.
Another apartment resident reported that she was “shocked” by her computer keyboard when the lightning hit. She was taken to MyMichigan Health emergency room in Clare by a family member, Chapman said.
The chief said there was so much damage to the tree, that the occupants of the apartment building who were evacuated from the building were not allowed to return until the tree was removed by Heintz Tree Service. “We were afraid it would come down on one of the buildings,” Chapman said.
They were on the scene for about two hours and were assisted by the Clare Police Department.
After responding to the first call, they were called to the 208 building in the same complex by a report of smoke and sparks coming from an electrical outlet.
Chapman said the incident may have been caused by the power surge when the lightning hit the tree.