Lightning, rain bring damage to parts of valley

A Henderson family today has little left but the charred rubble of their $1.5 million home after lightning struck during an afternoon thunderstorm that walloped the Las Vegas Valley with more than an inch of rain in an hour and caused more than 40 traffic lights to fail.

Disaster struck shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday. Neighbors watched in horror as the home at 2732 Chatsworth Court, near Green Valley and Windmill parkways was rapidly consumed by black smoke and flames in mere seconds.

"It destroyed pretty much everything," said homeowner Chet Cox, who was away at the time of the fire. "I've heard that lightning struck the back of the house, and that the house was hit at least three times."

Henderson Firefighters attacked the blaze from all sides, but were hampered in their efforts as continuing storm prevented them from raising a metal ladder to fight the fire from the air. A damage estimate is pending.

A devastated Cox and his family today were sifting through the charred remains to salvage what, if anything, is left.

Cox said members of his LDS (Latter Day Saints) ward were helping his family dry out photos, which were stored in a fireproof safe.

While disastrous to valley residents, the storm is seemingly unremarkable, the National Weather Service reports. Summertime thunderstorms typically can drop between a half-inch to an inch and a half in under an hour.

"The (thunderstorm) has been aided by the monsoon moisture out of Mexico and are related to thunderstorms in central and northern Arizona" said Ron McQueen, warning coordination meteorologist. "It's typical to have these types of storms during the summertime right through to the fall."

Typical, however, isn't always pleasant.

Desert Rose Golf Course, near Vegas Valley Drive and Hollywood Boulevard in east Las Vegas, flooded with the afternoon downpour. Numerous golfers out on the course ducked inside the clubhouse when the rain hit about 1 p.m. The course reopened about two hours later, limiting play to nine holes, a Desert Rose spokeswoman said.

At least one residence in a mobile home park along in the 3800 block of South Nellis Boulevard was also reported to have burned by lightning, but fire department details were not immediately available.

By 2:15 p.m. Thursday, the monitor gauge at the Las Vegas Wash near Sahara Avenue registered 1.18 inches of rain. The Union Pacific Railroad channel's gauge near Green Valley and Windmill parkways in Henderson totaled 1.14 inches, and the Flamingo Wash gauge near Nellis Boulevard showed just under one inch of rain.

Nearly 30,000 Nevada Power Company customers temporarily lost power, and at least 40 traffic lights went out during the storm. Thomas Moore, Nevada Power spokesman, said crews had yet to determine if lightning was responsible.

The power outage was primarily restricted to the eastern valley, mostly affecting customers near Sam's Town hotel-casino. Moore said two susbstations experienced problems -- one near the Sunrise Power Station near Las Vegas High School and the Cabana substation south of Flamingo Road near Cabana Drive and Canal Street.

Power was expected to have been fully restored by nightfall.

"This storm is a good reminder that storms can develop in literally a few minutes," McQueen said. "Dry streets one minute can become raging waters the next minute. We want to stress that people use extreme caution. Moving water is very powerful. Even ankle-deep water can sweep you off your feet."

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