'Like a bomb': Lightning strikes Columbia home during intense storms Wednesday night

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP – Firefighters from Dover responded to the report of a lightning strike Wednesday night at 6552 Columbia Road NW in Columbia, an unincorporated village, during a breakout of severe thunderstorms across the northern part of Tuscarawas County.

Tornado sirens were activated for Dover and other surrounding municipalities at about 6 p.m. in addition to emergency alerts sent to cellphones from the National Weather Service advising of a severe thunderstorm warning for "destructive 80 mph winds."

"It sounded like a bomb went off," said Nancy Cox, who along with her husband, Ben, was home at the time. "We were sitting in the living room, the lightning hit, and then it sounded like glass breaking."

Firefighters checked the home for any fire or interior damage, and found the residence to be OK. Power was shut off, and the electric company was called.

In addition to the damage to the chimney, trees near the home were charred, and a section of the concrete driveway broke near the house.

No injuries were reported at the residence.

T-R staff photographerAndrew Dolph can be reached by phone at, 330-289-6072, or by email atadolph3@gannett.com. You can also find him on Instagram @dolphphoto.