Lightning strikes Mesa family’s home during monsoon storm

PHOENIX — Authorities often warn Arizonans about flooding and wind damage during monsoon season — but what about lightning strikes?

The Perez family was in their Mesa home watching “The Bachelorette” on Tuesday night when they saw a bright flash and immediately heard a loud boom.

“Ironically, they were talking about how explosive (the show) was going to be. Didn’t realize it was literal,” Gustavo Perez told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

He said he thought a transformer was hit until neighbors came to their door and said the attic was on fire.

“It was just unreal. We felt the boom, we saw the light, but we had no idea it hit our house,” Veronica Perez said.

Gustavo said the couple went into “parent survival mode” and grabbed their kids — a 3-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter — and their dog and ran outside.

He said firefighters responded within five minutes and were able to put out the flames.

Their son didn’t understand what was happening, but their daughter was afraid, Veronica said.

“He was mostly mad that we woke him up and grabbed him out of bed while was comfy and just plain confused,” she said.

“And my daughter understood more and she cried and she kept saying she was scared.”

Veronica said they were lucky with timing and avoided more damage.

“As soon as we got that lightning strike and boom noise, it just started pouring rain, so I think that had a lot to do with it,” she said.

“The neighbors’ response time had a lot to do with. Had they not seen it, it probably would have burned more.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Griselda Zetino contributed to this report.