Lightning strike blamed for Spicewood house fire; no one hurt
Fire officials believe lightning might have been the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacation home in the 300 block of Coventry in Windermere in Spicewood. Courtesy photo
FROM STAFF REPORTS
SPICEWOOD — Two days of storms in eastern Burnet County took its toll on residents in the Windermere community, which suffered a house fire and a temporary boil water notice, officials said.
On May 27, the initial thunderstorm rattled large swaths of the Highland Lakes with high winds, thunder and lightning as well as several inches of rain, primarily east and southeast of Marble Falls.
In Windermere, the Spicewood Area Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire at about 2 a.m. in the 300 block of Coventry Road.
“The initial call came in when people across the river saw it,” said Spicewood Area VFD firefighter Craig Schlicke.
The blaze gutted the 3,000-square-foot unoccupied, rock-framed house, which served as a vacation home for a family from San Antonio.
“That big storm just came through a little before (the call). We had lightning and thunder,” Schlicke said. “Everybody said they heard (thunder). That’s what we’re pretty sure (the cause is) at this time.”
An investigation determining the final cause continues.
Cottonwood Shores, Horseshoe Bay and Pedernales fire departments as well as the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department assisted.
Fire crews worked to keep the fire from spreading to a nearby residence. All agencies cleared the scene at about 7 a.m.
About 48 hours later, another thunderstorm swept through the community, resulting in a power outage that lasted several hours.
At that time, officials placed the subdivision on a temporary boil water notice until crews checked and maintained the water system.
editor@thepicayune