Fire Department

Several residents at a northside condominium complex reported hearing a very loud lightning strike just before fire alarms sounded and the smell of something burning inside the building.

An odor of burned electrical wires was present as firefighters entered the building at 58 Cherokee Circle. Initial information led firefighters toward the second floor but found no odor, heat, or indications of a problem there.

On-site maintenance also reported an alarm activation in a neighboring building, and multiple elevators on the Cherokee Garden Condominiums were no longer in service.

Upon checking an electrical panel in the basement, Engine Company 10 found burn marks on it. Building maintenance stated this box was connected to the telephone lines, and he speculated that lightning may have traveled through the phone lines, scorching the system. A second panel nearby was warm to the touch and also smelled of burned electrical wiring.

The complex was placed under a fire watch until the alarm systems could be restored.