STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1985, 22 January 1907, Page 1

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Wednesday’s N.X. Herald states: Shortly after four o’clock yesterday morning severe thunderclaps broke over the city, and in Parnell one was particularly felt, '('lie residence of Mr C. Green, in Gibraltar Crescent, was struck by lightning, and considerably damaged. Just bef( dawn Mr Green, who was sleeping in the house, in company with wife and children, was awakened by a terrible crash, and experienced what he describes as the rocking of the building. Ho sprang out of bed, and as he was opening the door to go oulside (it was finite dark at the time) a thick wave of fumes, with a sulphurous odour, drifted hy him. On going outside, Mr Green stumbled against several loose bricks, and came to the conclusion that the chimney bad fallen down. Meanwhile Mr Gustafsson, who resides next door to Mr Green, had also been awakened by the liuual disturbance and had gone outside. Before going outside however, he saw a large number of bricks from Mr Green’s chimney lying in his kitchen, evidently having fallen through the window, the houses only being a few feet apart. When daylight dawned an daylight dawned an examination showed that the lightning had done considerable damage. Several holes had been made in the roof of Mr Green’s house, and the spouting at the side had been torn. Several of the weatherboards were cracked and broken, where the spouting ended. At the rear of the building the lightning had evidently struck a waterpipe a few feet above the ground, and fused the metal slightly. Here and there the hoards had been charred. Mr Green considers that had the timber not been damp at the time, the house would have taken fire.. The kitchen window of Mr Gustafsson’s house through which tlie bricks from Air Green’s bouse fell, was, needless to sav, smashed to pieces, aiid a quantity of crockery inside the kitchen was rendered useless. Fortunately Mr and Airs Gustafsson’s bedroom window did not face Air Green’s house, or there is a probability that they would have been injured by the falling bricks. It was evident from the appearance of Air Green’s residence yesterday, that the lightning after striking the chimney, which was of a substantial nature, and rose some Gft from tbe roof, had divided itself into different currents. Air Green has a dim idea of having seen a brilliant light on being awakened from liis sleep. Several residents of the locality affirm that they saw a lingo hall of fire falling earthwards, followed immediately by a big crash, which echoed and re-echo-ed like the discharge of a huge gun.