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Storm damage left behind after lightning, high winds

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Storms caused damage all over the Queen City Wednesday -- from a house fire sparked by lightning to trees toppled over.

On Steele Creek Road near Hamilton Green Drive, a massive tree took out power lines and the electricity to a nearby neighborhood. The fallen limbs also blocked traffic there for hours.

"When I was driving, it looked like a war zone," Scott Ogg said.

Duke Energy workers cut the limbs away from power lines trying to restore power while firefighters and police directed traffic.

"Traffic was backed up real bad," Ogg said. "I saw the tree (and traffic was) down to one lane. Fire trucks and police had just gotten here. It was a little chaotic."

On Foxfire Road near Providence Road, firefighters worked to knock down a fire after lightning hit a home. The homeowner told Channel 9 it was loud but she didn't immediately notice any flames.

However, she decided to have a look around the house and found that the second story of the home was already engulfed.

It took dozens of firefighters 27 minutes to get the fire under control. The homeowners are happy no one was injured. They want people to remember that lightning can be very serious, even deadly.

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Storm chances remain high Thursday, but the heaviest downpours will hold off until the afternoon.

Rain chances will back off this weekend, but storms will still at least be around Saturday and Sunday.

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