Monday, May 25, 2009

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Lightning strike causes fire at condo in Walpole

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• 7Weather Forecast

WALPOLE, Mass. -- In the blink of an eye, an idyllic Sunday afternoon transformed into a fierce display of mother nature's wrath for many Bay State residents outside celebrating Memorial Day weekend.  

A lightning strike sets off a fire at a condo building in Walpole. Firefighters said the bolt hit the eight-unit building at the Royal Crest Country Club.

The structure's roof caved in as smoke and flames poured out.

Officials said the building is a total loss.

In all, eight families have been displaced by the fire. Fortunately, all of the residents made it out safely.

In other areas, a lightning bolt struck a house in Weymouth, quarter-sized hail pelted the ground in Holbrook, and another bolt touched down on the roof of a shed in Brockton.

While thunderstorms disrupted the afternoon in many towns south of the Massachusetts Turnpike, the threat of showers and storms tapered off Sunday evening.

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