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Lightning Suspected As Cause Of House Fire In Tampa

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TBO.com

Published: July 15, 2008

TAMPA - Lightning may have caused a fire Tuesday night that damaged a home on the 9000 block of North 21st Street, Tampa Fire Rescue officials said.

Pam Backer, 44, returned home about 8 p.m. and when she opened the door, thick smoke billowed out, investigators with the Tampa Fire Marshals Office said. Backer gathered her pets — two dogs and a cat — and managed to escape the smoke.

A small fire was found in a bedroom and extinguished, investigators said. No injuries were reported. The animals were taken to a veterinarian by Backer to be treated for smoke inhalation, investigators said.

Neighbors told firefighters that lightning struck a tree near the house at 9801 N. 21st St. in north Tampa about 10 minutes before the fire started. Investigators said they think the lightning ran through the home's electrical system and shorted out an outlet plug in the bedroom.

A mattress was pressed up against the wall plug and the sparks likely set the bed on fire, authorities said.

Damage to the house is about $30,000, investigators said.

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