Lost property and property – Blitz sets house on fire: “We are homeless”

Since 1992, Franz Ofner has lived with his wife in a single-family house in Edelschrott in western Styria. “Now we are homeless,” he said the day after the lightning strike that turned his life upside down.

“Suddenly it rattled”
On Monday, severe storms swept across large parts of Styria – including the municipality of Edelschrott. At about 6:30 PM, the master of the house was in the living room while his wife was folding the laundry upstairs.

“All of a sudden it rattled. Then my wife screamed that there was a fire,” Ofner describes the anxious moments. “We immediately went outside, but then it smelled and there were flames everywhere. At this point, you’re just trying to get the dog out and maybe a few documents. But that’s about it.”

Firefighting until late at night
Moments later, three fire brigades from the surrounding communities with a total of 25 men arrived to bring the flames under control. Despite the rain, the fire had already spread over the entire roof structure. The extinguishing work lasted until midnight.

Ofner takes comfort in the fact that at least he escaped with his life: “We were all able to come out. If only with what we were wearing.” There wasn’t much left of his belongings to save when he returned to his home the next day.

Many home builders do without lightning rods
Lightning strikes are causing increasing damage in this country: “In 2021 there were 214 burning lightning strikes in Styria. The total damage amount was 2.2 million euros,” says Herbert Hasenbichler of the State Office for Fire Prevention.

Lightning rods are only required by law from 400 square meters of living space, and for cost reasons more and more homebuilders are doing without: “The chance that lightning will be safely discharged with them is more than 90 percent.”