Broken Arrow Family Returns To Home Damaged By Lightning, Fire

In addition to this week's strong winds, lighting is causing big problems - striking schools, cars and a Broken Arrow family's house overnight. The strike caused the house to catch fire with flames shooting through the roof.

The family was away on vacation, so despite the heavy damage they're just thankful no one was home, and no one is hurt. 

Reid Skinner and his family were in Branson for a work conference/family getaway when he got an unexpected phone call while asleep. It was a neighbor calling with bad news. Turns out their home took a direct hit from lightning. 

"Heart kind of sunk, stomach kind of dropped - the whole nine yards," said fire victim Reid Skinner.

So they woke the boys up, packed and while firefighters worked to put out the flames shooting from their roof, they headed for home as quickly as possible.

7/26/2013 Related Story: Broken Arrow House Fire Blamed On Lightning Strike

"It felt like forever, because there wasn't a whole lot of talk going on in the truck," Reid said, "We were all kind of nervous."

The fire engulfed the attic, leaving a gaping hole in the roof. The flames came dangerously close to Caden's upstairs bedroom.

"If I was in bed sleeping, and it struck, what could have happened?" asked Caden Skinner, age 10.

That's why the family says, despite the damage, they're thankful they were on their trip and away instead of in the house and in danger.

"We've got our hands full right now," said Reid Skinner, fire victim.

"I'm glad we got to go to Silver Dollar City and go swimming before even this happened," said 7-year-old Gage Skinner. 

"It could have been so much worse, but the ultimate thing is these guys, that's the ultimate thing, and my wife, we're safe," Reid said. "This is a house. We can fix the damage, we can rebuild it."

For now, they're going through the items that were burned to see what can be saved.

"My old sled there, I think that was the original, that's too bad. I was saving it for them," Reid said. "They were using it, of course, it doesn't snow hardly ever."

But we do get a lot of severe weather, as the Skinners and so many others this week, have found out firsthand. About 25 percent of the house has fire, smoke or water damage.