Storms produce hail, house fire
Published 10:05 pm Monday, March 18, 2013
A day most of Chilton County will remember for heavy showers of large hail also included a Clanton house fire.
About 600 Alabama Power customers in the Clanton area lost power due the storms, which also packed heavy rain and strong winds.
As of 9 p.m., the number of those without power had been reduced to about 185, according to Alabama Power spokesman Mike Jordan.
Meanwhile, no one was injured when a home on Ollie Avenue caught fire shortly before 5 p.m.
Clanton Fire Chief David Driver said the homeowner was in the house but unaware of a fire until a passerby saw smoke, stopped and alerted the homeowner.
“It appeared that lightning struck the natural gas line that ran in through the top of the house,” Driver said.
Driver estimated half of the house’s attic was burned, and more damage was caused by water and firefighters’ efforts to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters were on the scene until 6:20 p.m., Driver said.