Couple and Their Seven Pets Rescued from Essex Bungalow After Lightning Strike Causes Fire

A couple and their seven pets were rescued by neighbors after a lightning strike caused a fire to break out in the roof of their bungalow in Corringham, Essex.

The fire service received reports of the blaze at about 03:45 BST on Sunday and arrived to find smoke billowing from the roof.

The couple and their pets were able to escape safely thanks to the help of neighbors.

Crews worked hard to extinguish the fire, which caused damage to the roof and first-floor bedrooms but did not spread to the ground floor.

A neighbor described hearing a loud explosion and woke up to help the couple escape.

Another neighbor helped alert the couple to the fire and assisted in their escape.