OLA, Ark. — What began as a quiet evening quickly turned into a nightmare for James and his wife at their home just outside of Ola, when a lightning strike ignited a fire in their attic, sparking a tense few moments as they scrambled to respond.

The couple had been watching TV as a thunderstorm rolled through the area on Sunday night. James Westlake had dozed off in his recliner when a loud boom shook the house around 8 p.m.

“We both thought it hit something close by. We didn’t think it hit the house,” James said.

Moments later, they noticed the television had reset itself, and a burning smell began to spread through the house.

“I was messing with the TV and smelled smoke,” he said. “We got up and started checking the house, and when I went out to the back porch, I saw flames coming ou

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