Early morning lightning fire destroys Parker house

PARKER, Texas - Lightning from Monday morning’s storms likely have sparked the fire that destroyed a Collin County home.

A Parker fire captain who lives in the neighborhood was outside at 6 a.m. when he said he heard the lightning crack. He said it was deafening – loud, bright and violent sounding.

When volunteer firefighters arrived at the home on Glen Meadows Drive it was fully engulfed in flames. Since all of the family members has already gotten out of the house and were accounted for, they took a defensive role fighting the fire from the outside.

While it’s still under investigation, firefighters believe the lightning bolt started the fire.

“Obviously the attic is what caught fire and that spread very rapidly. So you’ve got a lot of fire spreading across the structure creating the damage. But I do know that we were able to salvage some of the items and furniture from the house,” said Sr. Capt. Terry Bush with the Parker Fire Department.

The family was obviously shaken and disturbed by the early morning fire and didn’t want to comment. Friends and neighbors helped them gather items from inside the home to be salvaged.

The house does appear to be a total loss.