Lightning strikes, destroys Manchester home killing 2 cats, bird & reptiles

If you were anywhere across the Jersey Shore on Wednesday afternoon you heard the thunder, saw the lighting and watched as the rain poured down with steamy smoke coming from the roads.

At the same time, the lightning strikes became dangerously violent.

A home on Beckerville Road in Whiting was struck by lightning Wednesday afternoon causing it to catch fire.

When Manchester Police arrived around 2:48 pm, the home was fully engulfed in flames.

Nobody was inside the home at the time of the fire, police said, but two cats, a bird and several reptiles were and tragically did not survive the fire.

Firefighters from the Whiting, Manchester, and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Departments as well, firefighters from nearby Lakehurst, Joint Base, Cassville, Whitesville, and Forked River Fire Departments responded to the scene and extinguished the fire.

EMTs from Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services also responded.

There were no injuries to any of the residents or first responders at the scene.

Manchester Police said that the Red Cross assisted with providing necessary supplies for the family and they were eventually relocated with nearby acquaintances.

The cause of fire was determined to be natural in origin as it was deemed to be the result of a lightning strike on the side of the residence.

The fire is being investigated by Detective Adam Emmons with Manchester Police's Investigations Bureau with the assistance of an investigator from the Ocean County Fire Marshall’s Office.

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