From staff reports
Lightning struck the roof of the IOOF (Odd Fellows) building at 222 Seneca St. in Oil City Thursday evening.
The incident occurred at about 7:20 p.m. as a strong storm moved through the area. Mark Hicks, the acting Oil City fire chief, said the building was hit by a direct lightning strike.
Hicks said numerous bricks and other debris flew from the building and damaged nearby buildings, cars and windows.
He said a brick flew into the home above McNerney’s across the street, and he said another brick smashed into a vehicle in front of McNerney’s.
The chief also said the debris was thrown as far away as the old Northwest Savings Bank building up the street.
Hicks said there were no injuries and no one was struck or hurt by any of the flying debris.
Firemen used their Tower 14 device to check the roofs of the buildings there, and Hicks said there were no signs of a fire.
He did say there was a baseball- or softball-sized hole in the Odd Fellows roof, and the wood was charred there.
Oil City Police Chief Bob Wenner said people who were in the Seneca Commons apartments and other spots in the area “were shook around pretty good” by the force of the strike.
Seneca Street was shut down to traffic for about 45 minutes at the intersection with Duncomb Street.
