Residents clean up after lightning causes severe damage | News

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH (FOX19)- Liberty Township residents in the Four Bridges Condominium Complex are still in shock by the power of mother nature. 

"Everybody here that saw and witnessed that, it was kind of a frightful event because it happened so quick and so powerfully," said Rich Halter, a Liberty Twp. resident.

One of the homes was completely destroyed. Residents say it's the second home in the neighborhood destroyed by lightning within the last two years, and another nearby home was hit by lightning a couple months ago.

"When lightning happens, most people here are concerned about the neighborhood," said Halter.

In fact residents have a nickname for the area, "Lightening Alley."

Tri-State weather expert, FOX19 Chief Meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer, says there's a scientific reason behind the periodic lightening strikes in the area.

"The slightly higher elevation in Butler County means as the air heads north and eastward it gets lifted a little bit more and even though we haven't studied it, there is a slight increase in thunderstorm frequency up that way," said Horstmeyer. "With more thunderstorms, the better frequency of being struck by lightning."

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