ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — A fire destroyed a home along Douglas Court in Stony Point over the weekend.
Stephanie Norton and her three children resided in the home, but no one was inside when the blaze broke out.
Investigators believe a lightning strike during a severe thunderstorm may have caused the fire.
Firefighters arrived at the scene 2 minutes after receiving the call, but flames had already spread across much of the roofline.
Neighbor Sharon Watts described the rough weather before fire trucks reached the scene.
“There was a storm. We were under a warning. I looked out, and it was raining, a little windy, and lots of thunder,” Watts said.
Three fire departments responded to bring the blaze under control. Some of the responding firefighters in Stony Point were attending church services when the storm hit the area.
Norton resided at the home with her twin 13-year-old sons and an 8-year-old family member she is raising after the child’s mother died.
The family had gone out before the fire and learned of the blaze when a neighbor called them. They were left with only the clothing they were wearing when they left the house.
Norton expressed appreciation for the support her family has received following the destruction of their home.
“It is very unbelievable. We’re trying to wrap our head around it. I do want to thank everyone in the community for reaching out and offering assistance and help. It’s very much appreciated at this time,” Norton said.
The American Red Cross is assisting the family, and a GoFundMe fundraiser has been established to support them.
The fire marshal plans to check lightning strike data with the National Weather Service for Stony Point on Sunday morning to assist in determining the cause of the fire.