A family on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, were not at home yesterday afternoon when a bolt of lightening blasted electrical fittings from their sockets and caused a small blaze which was put out by an ESB repair crew.
The fire brigade was also alerted to deal with the outbreak in a bungalow at Corraun on the south of the island. Dozens of homes were still without a phone service last night due to lightening damage during a brief but severe thunderstorm which occurred shortly after 2 p.m.