Woman praises neighbor’s action after back porch refrigerator takes lightning strike

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Photos courtesy of Elaine Burgess

A local woman is praising her neighbor as a hero after a weather-related incident occurred at her residence earlier this month. Elaine Burgess, a resident of northwest Mountain Home, tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News she was contacted by Cody Smolek and the fire department after lightning struck a refrigerator on her back porch.

Burgess says the incident occurred April 2 at her residence on Campbell Drive.

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Smolek is actually a new resident to the area. Burgess says she is thankful she had given him her phone number, and he took immediate action when he saw the refrigerator on fire.

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Burgess says she was able to extinguish the fire before the fire personnel arrived.



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