Veteran's house struck by lightning causes ceiling to cave in
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An Air Force veteran's house was struck by lightning in Bartlett while he was out of town.
Willie Hooper's home was struck by lightning during Sunday's severe weather in Shelby County.
The 62-year-old told WREG he was on his way to visit his daughter in Ohio, and he started to feel ill so he stopped in Kentucky.
'I could not see my cameras that I have on my house. They were not working,' said Hooper. 'So, I talked to my neighbor and she said she has power and she didn't know the issue was, so I called my son and then I called MLGW.'
At first, Hooper says he thought someone maybe cut the security system and broke into his house.
'And soon as we walked upstairs, I see the ceiling kind of caved in,' said Willie Hopper Jr., son. 'The guy from MLGW was behind me he kind of looked over my shoulder and said 'We got the answer, we know what the culprit is.''
MPD arrests over 120 people in Operation Code Zero
The technician determined the damage was caused by a lightning strike to the roof. Hooper said he was thankful he was not home.
'There was definitely a point where the boom and the flash happened at exactly the same time. We were watching TV and it startled us all,' said his neighbor.
'Where it hit is where my computer is at, and that is exactly where I normally sit,' said Willie Hooper. 'So I think it's a thing that God is trying to tell me something.'
Hooper is headed back to Bartlett to check on the damage to his house. The Bartlett Fire Department told WREG they did not respond to Hooper's home because they were not called for assistance.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Strong storms with hail, heavy rain Thursday morning
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Showers and thunderstorms will become likely late this evening and into the overnight hours. A few of those storms may become severe, with damaging winds the primary concern, followed by large hail and heavy rainfall. The majority of the Mid-South is under a Slight Risk (Level 2/5) for severe weather. By daybreak, storms will be moving southward and out of the Mid-South. Highs will climb to around 90 again Thursday afternoon, with a slight chance for a pop-up shower through the evening. STAY CONNECTED – We encourage you to always have multiple ways to receive weather information. Download the WREG weather app for the latest forecast details while you are on the go. Make sure your location is turned ON, so you can receive watch and warning information for your exact location at all times. A NOAA weather radio is a great investment as well. You can also download the new WREG+ app on your smart TV to stream live newscasts and weather coverage. Check the latest forecasts from WREG Weather Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Severe weather causes power outages in Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Thousands of Memphis Light, Gas, and Water customers are without power due to severe weather in the area early Thursday morning. There are currently 12,577 customers experiencing the outage. The majority of the Mid-South is under a Slight Risk (Level 2/5) for severe weather. A flash flood warning was also issued for Shelby County and Tipton County. Check the latest forecasts from WREG Weather Tips for if your power goes out: Check to see if the lights are out in neighboring homes — if so, it's likely a larger outage. Access the MLGW outage map via or the MLGW app. Report the outage on the MLGW app or call 544-6500. For more tools, visit here. Tips for if a powerline is knocked down: Stay away and call MLGW at 528-4465. Assume the line is 'energized' and stay away and warn others to do the same. Do not remove fallen tree limbs or other debris from power lines. (Tree limbs and other objects can conduct electricity that can shock anyone coming in contact with them.) This story will be updated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Massive flooding causes road closures in Memphis, the Mid-South
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A flash flood warning was issued Thursday morning for parts of the Mid-South as severe weather moves through early Thursday morning. WREG crews captured photos of the massive flooding on Interstate 240 under the Jefferson overpass, causing traffic delays. Drivers were seen attempting to push their vehicles through the flooding and still trying to pass through. Most streets were clear and skies were sunny by the afternoon, but the morning commute was a mess for many. We saw highway crews working on Interstate 240 trying to get the water off the roads. Nichole Lawrence with TDOT said the agency is constantly checking the drains to make sure drains are clear. 'It's part of our routine maintenance is checking our drains and we have a great partnership with the National Weather Service where we have calls and meetings with them when rain is predicted, so we are always ahead of that to make sure we can get out there and do a double check during our routine maintenance days,' Lawrence said. Severe weather causes power outages in Memphis Sheriff Shannon Beasley made a social media post saying they were also experiencing flooding on roadways all across Tipton County. A tractor-trailer was left flooded on Mt. Carmel Road near Barnett Hall Road, Beasley said. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has closed that road, along with Charleston Gift Road between Highway 54 and Highway 14, and Sherrill Cemetery Road, which is a dead-end road. Beasley says they are also working on other weather-related motor vehicle accidents and that areas along Highway 59 West, Highway 59 East, and Highway 54 are all experiencing flooding. He says Tipton County Public Works crews are working to barricade roadways and clear trees from the roads. More roadway closures are expected. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
