Lorna and Paul Singh

Our good friend and former colleague Paul Singh and his wife Lorna are often roaming the globe seeking new adventures, whether it’s riding a camel in Morroco, or visiting old friends, Jim Fullerton and his wife Glenda. in the mountains of Equador, but Paul and Lorna were shocked to the core in their own home here in Sandys Parish last Thursday when their house was struck by lightning during a thunder storm. 

The Royal Gazette reports that Paul and Lorna “are lucky to be alive after lightning hit their house blowing out a ceiling, cracking a chimney, smashing a glass fire guard and causing electrical explosions.”

Lorna told The Royal Gazette: “I was in the kitchen preparing a salad and it sounded like a bomb explosion. “My husband said ‘did you hear that!’ I went to look up my hallway and saw grey smoke, the ceiling down and wires coming out. If we had been walking along the hallway we would have been electrocuted – you might have seen me at Pearman Funeral Home.

“It was a shock. We are okay, we are not injured but it is a shock and it was traumatic.”

Neither Ms Singh, 84, or her husband, 71, were injured.

After the strike, the couple immediately called 911 and were told to leave the building, despite the torrential rain, as quickly as possible. The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene.

Ms Singh said it appears that the lightning bolt went down the chimney causing damage to the exterior of the chimney and smashing the glass fire place guard inside the house.

The button for the doorbell at the front door had blown about 30 feet away from the house. All the power was knocked out until it was partially fixed the following day. However, the oven, computer, televisions and the internet router were among other items damaged and will need to be replaced.

CLICK HERE for the full report in the Royal Gazette.  

Ms Singh added: “We are coping we are just in shock. It is one of those things you don’t think will happen but you never know what’s around the corner.

“We just have to take one day at a time – it will take time to get things back in order and to adjust to the situation.

“We are thankful we were not injured.”

EDITORS NOTE -  We are much relieved to hear that Paul and Lorna were not injured as a result of this lightning strike, but it's most upsetting to hear how much damage was caused to their home.

CLICK HERE for out article on Paul and Lorna getting together with Jim Fullerton and his wife Glenda in Equador.