An Odessa, Texas, man escaped his burning home with his dogs in tow after a lightning strike set the house on fire. He had been asleep when the accident happened, according to First Alert 7. The fire caused significant damage, but the man and his pets made it out safely. The only reason he woke up was that he had been choking on the smoke around him.
Anthony Juárez’s home in north Odessa was struck by lightning near 3 a.m. on June 3. The strike started a fire that spread fast. The home quickly filled with smoke. Juárez was asleep and didn’t hear any of it happen, and only woke after the fact.
By the time he woke up, the house was full of smoke. He had to find his own way out in the dark, feeling around to avoid falling, eventually making his way to the door. He made it out alive, making a narrow escape with his pets by his side. He had refused to leave without them.
Unfortunately, his home didn’t make it out unscathed. Juárez credited all the local crews who helped him out for keeping the disaster from getting worse. He’s since spent a significant amount of time thanking those who helped him.
The Damage, and the Help That Followed
“I woke up because I was choking on smoke,” Juárez told the media when interviewed. “My house was on fire,” he said. When he awoke, his bedroom was completely dark and thick with smoke, and he had to feel his way toward an exit (as mentioned above). He found a window and climbed out to safety. Then, rather than leave his dogs behind, he forced open a back door and got them out as well.
The fire did significant damage to the home, even with crews working around the clock to get the flames under control. Odessa Fire Rescue, the Odessa Police Department, and the American Red Cross each had a hand in responding quickly and offering help to get Juárez’s home’s blaze under control.
Now, Juárez is counting himself lucky rather than dwelling on what he lost. Getting things back to normal obviously won’t be a quick process. Fortunately, since his dogs survived the blaze, Juárez can try to move temporarily to another location with his loved ones.
If you happen to suspect that a storm is rolling through, it’s a good idea to stay vigilant if at all possible, since lightning is unpredictable.