A 67-year-old Gloucestershire woman narrowly escaped disaster after lightning struck her Nailsworth home on April 15 while she was away.
Liz Odell was in Cambridge when a powerful lightning bolt hit her house, resulting in widespread electrical damage. Upon returning, she found her home without electricity and several major appliances destroyed, including her television, music system, and internet router.
“I think it probably hit my aerial,” Liz explained. Her neighbor alerted her that her house had been struck and that her alarm was sounding – even though she hadn’t set it before leaving. The power surge had triggered the alarm system.
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The lightning strike caused severe damage: it destroyed the aerial junction box, burned out a bathroom ceiling lamp, and disrupted the electrical circuit so badly that electricians are now rewiring the entire first floor. “They’ve lifted the carpets and drilled into the floorboards to find the breaks,” she said.
The incident also wiped out her fuseboard and rendered her gas boiler useless, leaving her without central heating or hot water. Reflecting on the danger she faced, Liz said, “It was lucky I wasn’t in the house—if I’d been in the shower or touching anything, I may well not be here.”
Surprisingly, visible signs of the lightning strike are minimal: only the scorched bathroom downlight provides clear evidence. Despite the extensive internal damage, the exterior appears untouched.
When Liz returned home that evening, the house was engulfed in darkness. Initial attempts to restore power failed, and it wasn’t until the next day she realized the heating and hot water were out of order.
Having lived in the home for nearly 16 years, this was an unprecedented event for her. “As they say, lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place. Hopefully, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Her neighbor, Steve Robinson—chairman of Gloucestershire County Council and a local Labour Party District Councillor—reported that several nearby homes also suffered damage from the same strike. “It was a really loud bang. I’ve never heard anything like it. Our Sky Q box and router were fried, and other neighbors lost their landlines,” he said. “At least four houses were affected, but nothing like Liz’s.”