Nocatee homeowner suspects lightning strike led to destroyed home

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — A fire destroyed a home, and the family believes it was caused by a lightning strike. The fire happened on Paradise Valley Drive Monday evening in St. Johns County.

Photos: Morning after fire destroys a Nocatee home

“It literally struck right behind my house in the alleyway,” says Addison Fitzgerald who says he was outside when lightning hit his backyard. “I jumped back, my family was freaking, yelling telling me to get back inside, and that’s when the second strike hit, and that one was so loud, it was instantaneous,”

Then just seconds later he says, he looked down the street and saw his neighbor's house was burning.

“That’s when I saw the flames and the smoke,” says Fitzgerald.

Video shows huge flames and smoke pouring out of the Nocatee home.

Dozens of firefighters worked to put the fire out.

While investigators haven’t confirmed it was caused by lightning – the homeowner says he believes it was, because of a loud boom and crackling sound he heard.

The home, the family recently moved into --  is a total loss.

The homeowner says everyone got out okay, except for his 13-year-old Boxer. But later, neighbors tell Action News Jax the dog did make it.

Cox Media Group