Lightning strike sets house roof on fire
Fire crews were called to the property on School Close, Fittleworth, shortly before 15:00 BST on Wednesday, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said.
A spokesperson added that the incident had been "scaled back" but firefighters were "expected to remain on scene for the time being".
No casualties have been reported.
"Residents are urged to continue to avoid the area to allow firefighters to work safely," the fire service added.
Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
Fire crews tackle blaze at protected wildlife area
Crews battle large wildfire over Easter weekend
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Woman's Cat Is Scared of Thunder, Husband Takes 'Care of It'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a viral Instagram video, a cat owner revealed how her husband took care of their cat during a scary thunderstorm, and internet users can't cope with it. The heartwarming clip, shared in July under the username @lauren_syndi, shows the poster's cat nestled inside his bed, covered with a blanket hanging over him from the armrests of the couch, forming a sort of fortress. The fortress was carefully crated to make the feline feel safe, but also to keep him entertained as his dad put on his favorite cat show on YouTube. "Texts my husband sends me: 'the thunder scared the cat, but I took care of it," the caption says. The poster, Lauren from Texas, told Newsweek that she was out when a thunderstorm rolled through, and her husband, Ben, was home with their green-eyed orange feline, Bugs. From left the poster reacts to how her husband took care of their cat's fear of thunders. From left the poster reacts to how her husband took care of their cat's fear of thunders. @lauren_syndi "When I got back there was a full blown fort for him in the living room with his bed at the center—he also put Cat TV on YouTube—truly a classic lol they have a ton of videos with bird scenes, etc.," she said. "I didn't expect that video to get as much traction as it did, but I saw a lot of 'Green flag' husband comments on there and they're not wrong." It is not uncommon for cats to be afraid of thunderstorms, but what is it that makes these natural events so unbearable to our fur-babies? Thunderstorm phobia in cats is an intense fear response triggered by storm-related elements like thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and wind, according to Pet MD. These sudden and loud events can be especially distressing to already anxious cats. Affected cats may start reacting even before the storm arrives, as they can detect shifts in barometric pressure. Common symptoms include hiding, shaking, drooling, panting, restlessness, bolting, excessive vocalization, inappropriate urination or defecation, loss of appetite, destructive behavior, and increased heart rate (tachycardia). The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 310,000 views and 24,754 likes. One user, Freeesia13, commented: "Greenest flag ever!!!" Spookyladyyy said: "This is the kind of man I want to marry." Dimsumcats_nyc added: "Omg [Oh my God] that's so sweet! The [boyfriend] also built a blanket for my senior kitty Baobao because she gets really scared of thunder." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: 844 people drowned aboard the Eastland in the Chicago River
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 24, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Here are Chicago's hottest days — with temperatures of 100 degrees or higher — on recordWeather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1915: The SS Eastland — packed with Western Electric Co. employees and their families for a day trip to Michigan City, Indiana — rolled to its side in the Chicago River between LaSalle Drive and Clark Street. More than 840 people of the 2,500 aboard died, many of them trapped inside the vessel as water poured in when the ship tipped over only a few feet from the riverbank. 1934: Chicago recorded its hottest temperature — 105 degrees. 1939: Columbia University halfback and future Hall of Famer Sid Luckman signed his first contract with the Chicago Bears after he was selected by the team with the second pick of the 1939 NFL draft. The 6-foot, 197-pound Brooklyn native was voted first-team All-Pro five times in the 1940s. The Bears have won nine championships in their 99-year history. Luckman was the quarterback for four of them, in 1940, 1941, 1943 and 1946. In 1943 he won the Joe F. Carr Trophy as the NFL's most valuable player. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965. The dark secret behind the success of Sid Luckman, the greatest Bears quarterback everSubscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Bloomberg
16-07-2025
- Bloomberg
The Flash-Flood Era Is Here, and We're Not Ready
New York City's subway system is mainly known for moving millions of riders every day and scaring the US Treasury Secretary. But every so often it also becomes the world's least-popular water park. Instagram was rife this week with unnerving videos of subway riders watching high waters churn outside their train cars after a brief but biblical downpour dumped more than 2 inches of rain in less than an hour on Monday, overwhelming the city's drains and turning subway stations into raging rivers. What might have been a mundane summer rainstorm at one time led to flooding that killed at least two people, destroyed property and snarled travel across three states.
