Johnson County hard-hit in morning thunderstorms
Lightning strikes, water rescues and major road closures: Johnson County was one of the hardest-hit areas in Tuesday morning’s central Indiana storms.
To say Ryan Sheridan is unlucky would be unfair. As he got ready for work, he said he believes it was lightning that struck the roof above him in his bedroom.
“I heard thunder then a loud boom. It was 10 times as loud as you would normally hear. Then, kind of a flash of light,” he said.
He smelled burning and saw his roof was on fire. Sheridan immediately called 911.
“The kids weren’t at home. They were at school. It just makes you appreciate everyone a little bit more,” Sheridan said.
The Sheridan family will be staying with family.
White River Township Fire Chief Jeremy Pell said he believes that lightning struck another home but did not cause serious damage. There were no injuries reported.
“Lightning strikes are a serious thing. You never really know how much damage they do,” said White River Township Fire Chief Jeremy Pell.
But, it wasn’t just lightning that wreaked havoc around the county. Dozens of roads, including a portion of I-65, were flooded. Authorities closed the interstate while crews pumped the water.
Off of Smith Valley Road, officials closed the road due to high water. But, that didn’t stop some people from driving through anyway. Water rescues kept first responders busy. On Paddock Road near Smith Valley, crews rescued a driver and his passengers when his sport-utility vehicle got stuck in the water.
“The best way to mitigate an emergency is to avoid it,” the fire chief said.