Lightning strike leaves Babcock Ranch family displaced as community rallies to help

A Babcock Ranch family is rebuilding after a lightning strike sparked an attic fire that left their home uninhabitable over the weekend. Melinda and Thomas Kennedy were not home Saturday when lightning struck the roof of their house on Expedition Court. Their daughter, who had just arrived home from work, was the first to notice something was wrong. "She smelled smoke," Melinda Kennedy said. "At first she thought it was the outdoor lights, but then she realized the smoke was coming from the roof." Kennedy said her daughter immediately grabbed the family's dog and cat and ran outside. Neighbors quickly noticed the smoke and called 911. Charlotte County Fire & EMS responded to reports of smoke coming from the eaves of the home. Firefighters found an active attic fire and worked to contain it before it spread further. "They were already on the roof cutting holes to try to find where the fire had started and putting it out," Kennedy said. According to Charlotte County Fire & EMS, the fire was caused by a lightning strike. No injuries were reported. The blaze destroyed the attic and caused significant damage to the garage. Firefighters had to cut multiple holes in the roof and spray water throughout the attic to fully extinguish the flames, leaving the home unsafe to live in. "We immediately started making phone calls and reaching out to community members and friends, looking for a place that we could potentially stay," Melinda Kennedy said. Charlotte County Fire & EMS notified the American Red Cross to assist the displaced family. In the days since the fire, the Kennedys say they've been overwhelmed by support from neighbors and friends as they work with their insurance company and begin planning the long road to rebuilding. "It's amazing. Just unbelievable. It's heartwarming," Thomas Kennedy said. "If it wasn't for the community and the people around, it'd be hard. It'd be very hard." The family says they don't know when they'll be able to return home, but they're grateful everyone made it out safely and are focused on rebuilding their dream home. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.