The Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid volunteer fire departments and Tupper Lake Rescue Squad responded to 641 Indian Carry Road at 5:58 p.m. Tuesday with more than 20 members and several tanker trucks, in case there was a fire. There was not.

Keough said it was likely that multiple lightning strikes hit a cluster of trees at the end of the driveway, splitting one in half. From there, the electricity traveled through the ground to the house, which he said a family was renting.

“It dug a ditch right across the lawn and blew the top off the (underground) propane tank,” SLVFD Head Driver Rick Yorkey said.

Someone was sitting on porch when it happened, around 5 feet away from where the strike entered the porch, Keough said.

A tree struck by lightning on Indian Carry Road was blown apart Tuesday afternoon. (Provided photo — Brendan Keough)

Keough said the person suffered “minor injuries from flying wood and glass” and was treated at the scene by the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad.

He said the person was “lucky.”

“I’m sure the blue flash had to be unbelievable,” Keough said.

Yorkey said the person reported having hearing problems in one ear. They were going to drive to a hospital, but their car was apparently disabled by the strike — its electrical components were damaged.

Yorkey said the strike broke windows on the house. Keough said the electricity split a 6-by-6 board when it entered the porch and blew a cabinet in the kitchen off the wall.

SLVFD had 25 members out on calls Tuesday in all, Keough said. He said it was busy but not the worst storm they’ve had.

The departments were back in service at 8:10 p.m.