Massive Home Near Walhalla Catches Fire in Lightning Storm

A massive home that was under construction in the Walhalla area caught fire in a lightning storm on Saturday, Dec. 18.

Fire Chief Frankie Srubar of the Round Top-Warrenton Volunteer Fire Department said the call came in around 10:02 a.m. The home is located at 6400 Waldeck Cemetery Rd.

Upon arrival, Srubar said firefighters saw smoke coming out of the gables. He said a fire was burning in a hallway between two sections of the 12,000 sq. ft. home.

Srubar immediately called for assistance from the Carmine Volunteer Fire Department. Later, he called for help from Ledbetter, Fayetteville and La Grange VFDs, which all sent firefighters and equipment.

“We attacked the fire in the hallway and stopped it there,” Srubar said. We ended up putting a curtain of water on the roof to keep the roof from burning. We worked back from there and got it put out.”

Srubar said the home was under construction. He said firefighters kept the blaze contained to a section of the home comprising about 2,800 sq. ft. Srubar said insurance adjustors had not yet placed a dollar amount on the damages, but he expected it to be quite expensive.

Investigator Ken Kretz of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office were conducting the investigation. The investigators have not determined how the fire began, but they noted that it started during a lightning storm.

A total of 28 firefighters battled the blaze.