'Bad timing': Fallen trees and lightning to blame for several fires in Knightdale and Wake Forest

KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Firefighters in Knightdale say lightning is almost certainly to blame for a fire at a home on Autumn Ridge Drive.

The family was home but made it out safely.

The entire second floor of their home is a loss after they just put new siding on the house.

Trees also fell all across eastern Wake County, including onto a home off Old Milburnie Road as well as one on Randshire Way.

Firefighters in Wake Forest say lightning was to blame for a fire at the Northern Wake Senior Center.

No one was inside the center at the time off East Holding Avenue.

Wake Forest Fire said although several rooms and ceilings were impacted, the sprinkler suppression system limited the spread of the fire and prevented more damage.

"It sort of went from light to dark and I'm like 'Wow!'" said Shawn Sumner.

He pulled into a BP off Buffaloe Road off 540 to get gas but then the power went out and so did the pumps.

"That's bad timing for me, bad timing for me," he said. "Moral of the story is don't drive around on e. Lesson learned for real."