Salina Family Homeless After House Struck By Lightning

SALINA, Oklahoma -- A family just east of Salina is trying to recover after a lightning bolt caught their house on fire.

Seven people, including a ten-week-old baby and two other children were asleep inside the home when all of a sudden in the middle of the night; they say it was like fireworks going off.

From the street it's hard to see, but the broken and smoke stained glass toward the back of this house and the damage inside tell the story of how a family's life changed in an instant.

"Got the kids out and just stood there and watched our life disappear," Lisa Thomas said.

Lisa Thomas and Bear Flechs, their children and some other family were asleep when just after two in the morning; lightning hit their electric box at their home east of Salina.

"I'm just glad we're here," Lisa said. "All of us."

The lightning's power surged through the wiring,

"I heard like a pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," Bear Flechs said.

Bear says it was like something from a movie with sparks everywhere and flames shooting up the walls, giving them just moments to get out.

"It got so bad, smoke was so black and everything, we couldn't see nothing in there," Bear said.

"Just dialed 911, grabbed the baby and went down the stairs," Lisa said. "It was pitch black full of smoke."

The family lost just about everything they own, including all the baby shower gifts for ten-week-old Ryan.

They're staying in a hotel for now, but fear the house has major structural damage. Now with a new baby, an uncertain future and a terrible night, they're trying to get some rest and figure out what to do next.

"I just give it to God," Lisa said. "It's just one day at a time now, just do what we have to do."

The American Red Cross is helping the family with financial assistance for food, clothing including baby clothes, a baby crib and a place to stay.