Leda family lucky to escape house fire

A Leda woman had a lucky escape yesterday afternoon and a pet cat was resuscitated when a home burst into flames after it was hit by lightning.

The Dalrymple Drive home caught fire after a lightning bolt made contact with an air-conditioning unit at about 3pm on Monday, according to neighbours.

Adjacent neighbour Emma Hopkins said she had been watching the storm move across the neighbourhood when the bolt hit with a “really big bang.”

She said she saw smoke and then flames and the occupant, believed to be a woman in her 30s who was home alone at the time, emerged from the home concerned for the safety of three dogs in the backyard and a cat trapped inside.

“The lightning has hit the air-conditioning unit on the roof, fell through the house and burst into flames,” Ms Hopkins said.

Next door neighbour Jess Fomiatti said her television and pay-tv box flashed off as the bolt hit the woman’s bedroom.

Mother-of-two Ms Fomiatti said she raced home from work at a nearby deli to find her neighbour’s home in flames.

Housemate Simone Mitchell said neighbours looked on as a firefighter located the cat within the burning building and resuscitated the animal.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services confirmed three dogs and a cat were rescued from the property.