Storms rip through area

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Storms wreaked havoc around the News Channel 18 viewing area, but surprisingly the damage didn't appear to be as severe as expected in Lafayette.

Even though the area got off lightly overall, some residents still had harrowing experiences.

"We were sitting here watching TV and lightning came in and struck the house, I guess," said resident Keely Stern.

Stern said the house filled with smoke, setting off the fire alarm.

Stern was at her friend Natalie Moore's house when it was struck by lightning. While Stern said the fire was frightening, she is very grateful that no harm was done.

"No damage, thank god. We're glad that we're safe," said Stern.

"I think I'm still in shock. It was so bright and so loud. It was like... it was just so loud and bright. And then when the house filled up with smoke that's when we got scared and the fire alarm was going off," said Moore.

There were more close calls, just down the street.

"The wife and I had just walked outside and just to kind of see what was going on with the storm and the tree was just kind of hanging there. And the neighbor came out to make sure that it didn't hit her car," said William Cobbs.

Winds reached between 60 to 70 miles per hour. As Jeff Moody and his son cleaned up the damage the wind left behind, Moody said the storm did take away one thing.

"I seen branches flying, yell at my kids to get down in the basement and I turned back around and our tree was just gone," said Moody.

Police blocked off the area at Kossuth and 26th Street to clear out the four foot wide tree. And while Moody said the ordeal was scary, his son found the bright side in the storm wreckage, a souvenir of giant tree bark from the fallen tree.