Aug 20, 2008 10:29 am US/Eastern
Some Perry Hall Condo Owners Demand Lightning Rods
PERRY HALL, Md. (WJZ) ―
Lightning struck twice at one Perry Hall condominium complex, and dozens living there say enough is enough. Community leaders in the Baltimore County town are calling for action a week after a dozen condos were destroyed.
Dennis Edwards has more on the plan some say may prevent a third fire.
After two documented lightning strikes, the board of directors is looking into installing lightning rods, but astrologers say even they don't provide any guarantees.
For Chapel Hill condominium owners, lightning striking their complex twice in two years is more than enough reason to demand the installation of lightning rods on building rooftops.
"So this doesn't happen again. It happened two years ago to the building across the street and 12 people were homeless and it's the same thing that happened to our building and I don't want to see it happen to anybody else again," said Ann Smith.
But in an association board meeting, directors decide to have the buildings inspected to determine why they've been hit so often. They'll then look into the pros and cons of installing metal rods less than a week after lightning struck 20 Juliet Lane, leaving a large hole in a third floor ceiling. Several residents were left homeless.
A Goucher College astronomer tells
Eyewitness News the idea of putting in a lightning rod may make residents feel better but it won't make a difference, since the odds of lightning striking again in this community are next to nil.
"If they get hit again, it'll probably help their building to not get some damage in terms of, say, fire breaking out immediately where the lightning hit, but all the electronics could get incinerated," said Dr. Ben Sugerman.
Residents like Ann Smith don't really want to hear that argument again.
"No, not right now 'cause I'm out of a home right now and I'm pretty put out," Smith said.
A condo board member tells
Eyewitness News installing lightning rods won't be easy or inexpensive, but that the board doesn't mind spending the money as long as the solution works.
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