Lightning Causes Death, Fires in New England

(NECN: Kristen Caira, Bridgewater, Mass.) - Lightning strikes caused damage across New England Saturday, and even led to the death of a Connecticut fisherman.

Four men were struck while fishing on a jetty in Bridgeport, Connecticut. One of the men, 29-year-old Stamford resident Romeo Briscoe, was killed; the three others were rushed to Bridgeport Hospital and were expected to recover.

Lightning struck a home in Bridgewater, but had no immediate impact.

"We called my dad and he said as long as the walls weren't hot -- unplug everything -- and it was fine," 22-year-old Meaghan Gasbarro said.

About an hour later, though, a fire broke out in the attic. It was the fire captain who lived across the street who spotted the fire and brought the girls to safety.

"So the captain came across the house, realized that the house was on fire, evacuated the house and called the fire department," Chief George Rogers said.

"We owe him big time -- we do," Gasbarro said.

In neighboring East Bridgewater, they were cleaning up after a lightning strike put a hole in the roof. No one was injured.

Another lightning strike hit outside a Hanover, Mass. auto repair shop and injured a worker inside. He was expected to recover.

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