ELK RIVER, Minn. — A lightning strike caused huge flames in a family’s dream home on Monday evening, leaving the residents completely distraught.
“This is our dream home gone up in smoke,” said owner Robert Bostrom. “The TV was blown out, the ceiling was blown out, the light fixture was blown out, the wood, the drywall. There was glass flying everywhere.”
The Bostroms ran into the rain and called 911.
“I grabbed my garden hose, turned on the sprinkler and started spraying the area where the lightning struck,” said Robert Bostrom.
Despite the efforts of dozens of firefighters and their neighbors, the fire had disappeared.
“When I got here, the whole roof was on fire,” said neighbor Joanne Kelly.
The couple and their dogs got out.
“I have a burn, but that’s okay,” Terri Bostrom said. “We raised our kids here.”
Thanks to the fire department, the Bostroms were also able to save a number of valuable possessions.
“My dad’s ashes, my brother-in-law’s ashes, his parents’ stuff, my dad’s stuff,” Terri Bostrom said.
Despite all the sadness, they manage to maintain their Minnesotan sense of humor and community spirit.
“You know, not the way you want to downsize, that’s for sure,” Robert Bostrom said. “It blows my mind — complete strangers asking if they can help. It’s a testament to our city and the people here.”
In north Minneapolis, officials reported that a lightning strike preceded a house fire there during the storms of Monday evening. Those storms also left tens of thousands of people without power.
