Mother Nature delivered a jolt for a wake-up call June 7.
Around 10:30 a.m., lightning struck an awning on a guest house operated by the Harrington House Bed & Breakfast Beachfront Inn, the Huth House at 101 67th St., Holmes Beach.
Tommy Kilpatrick, head of maintenance at Harrington House, said he was attending a faulty air conditioner when he realized the storm was getting dangerous.
“I was in the parking lot walking to my truck, trying to beat the rain, and it hit probably 15 to 20 feet behind me,” he said of the lightning strike.
Kilpatrick said he’s seen lightning strike before, but never that close. “It’s an almost indescribable sound. Horrific, such an aggressive crack,” he said. “My back was to it and I could see the flash in broad daylight.”
Kilpatrick said the lightning was so close, the cracking sound reverberated in his chest. It wasn’t until later, when family members expressed relief, that Kilpatrick realized he had been feet away from a 53,000 degree blast.
Since it was morning, most guests at the house had gone to breakfast, but vacationers Ethan and Julie Rogers were still in their quarters. Right after the lightning struck the building, Kilpatrick said, the alarm sounded and both guests came running out.
No one was harmed and there was no apparent damage to the building.
“I think it was too wet for any fire damage,” Kilpatrick said.
West Manatee Fire Rescue Marshal Jim Davis responded to the alarm and inspected the roof with Kilpatrick, but they found no scorch marks or other evidence of the strike.
Although Kilpatrick saw some smoke after the strike, it dissipated quickly. Davis confirmed there was no external damage.
There were some electrical outages, Kilpatrick said, and Harrington House brought in an electrician to address the issues on the advice of the marshal.
Lightning also struck WMFR’s Station 3, 6001 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, earlier that morning, as well as the Resort at Longboat Key Club, 220 Sands Point Road, Longboat Key, just after the strike at Harrington House.