Severe Weather Causes Flooding, Fires Across Triangle

Traffic had to be detoured because of flooding at the inbound lanes of

Glenwood Avenue near Lynn Road

, Raleigh police said. On Hillsborough Street, clogged drains also caused minor flooding.

Authorities believe lightning struck a tree that downed power lines at a house on

Bearskin Court

in Raleigh. There was no visible fire damage and no reports that anyone was hurt.

Lightning also caused a house fire on

Covington Square Drive

in Cary. Neighbors said lightning hit a pine tree in front of Mike Klayko's house. No one was home at the time, but Klayko had pulled into his driveway immediately after the lightning strike and saw flames coming from his top floor. He had arrived just in time to rescue his dog.

"A lot of our personal stuff is gone," said Klayko, who said he had just finished having a conversation with a friend about the power of lightning.

"We were discussing how lightning could hit a tree and enter the attic and that's exactly what it did," he said. "What are the odds? I can't believe it."