Family Of Four Safe After Fire Destroys Home In Skiatook

A family of four in Skiatook is starting over after they lost their home to a fire during last night's storms. Firefighters said lightning is to blame.

Skiatook firefighters said the family heard a loud boom Sunday night, but it was not until a few hours later that the fire started.

Firefighters from Skiatook, Sperry, and the Country Corner Fire Department fought the flames for several hours in the middle of the night, working against the heat, and the powerful wind.

"When we got there, the upstairs was fully involved. Winds were blowing probably 40 miles an hour which did not help,” Deputy Chief Mike Thoendel said.

Skiatook Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Thoendel said smoke detectors woke up the two children in the home.

"Both of the sons woke up first,” he said. “They were woke up by the chirping. And the parents were woke up but the sons came down the stairs and telling the parents they could smell smoke."

Thoendel said everyone, including the family dog, got out of the house safely.

He said the family went to bed Sunday night after hearing a boom during the storm. Thoendel said they did not realize there was a larger problem going on, but did notice some electrical circuits in the house weren't working normally.

"Their ceiling fan wasn't working but their floor fan was. So it didn't effect the whole house, just a couple circuits,” Thoendel said.

Firefighters believe the embers sat on the side of the house and it was not until the wind picked up hours later, that the fire took over the home.

"It happens more on wild land fires. But it does happen quite a bit,” he said.

A neighbor helping the family said the best way people can help right now is to drop off gift cards or cash to the First Baptist Church in Skiatook. The address is 940 West Oak and those donations can be dropped off from 8:30-4:30, Monday through Thursday. The neighbor also said gift cards or cash can be brought to Fit Gym in Skiatook.