Lightning strike collapses ceiling onto man sleeping in Florida home

Lightning strike causes roof collapse, debris falls on homeowner

FOX 35's Chris Lindsay spoke to the Ormond Beach homeowner whose roof collapsed and fell on him after lightning struck his home.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - A lightning strike ripped through the roof of a Volusia County home over the weekend, collapsing part of the ceiling directly onto a man who was lying in bed.

What we know:

A lightning bolt struck an Ormond Beach home over the weekend, collapsing part of the roof directly onto a man who was sleeping in his bedroom. The victim, Paul Holub, was dazed but not seriously injured. 

Debris, insulation and smoke filled the room as the ceiling caved in, but no fire broke out. The strike also caused a power surge, damaging several electronics inside the home.

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What we don't know:

The family said skies were clear and there was no indication of lightning in the moments leading up to the strike. There are also no estimates yet on the cost of repairs to the home.

The backstory:

The Holub family is used to preparing for storms, but this strike caught them completely off guard. The incident happened so quickly that Paul Holub, who had been napping at the time, had no time to react. His brother, Joe, and family friend, Debbie Gormley, rushed to check on him after hearing the blast.

What they're saying:

The bolt hit without warning, crashing through the roof above Paul Holub’s bedroom while he was taking a nap. His brother said the skies were clear and there were no signs of an incoming storm.

"It wasn’t even raining out," Joe Holub said. "The bed was against the wall, and all of this came down on top of him."

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Debris, smoke and insulation instantly filled the room. Paul Holub was left dazed, but miraculously uninjured.

"Just glad he’s alive, you know," Joe Holub said. "It’s crazy. Luckily, it didn’t all collapse in."

Family friend Gormley said the entire house shook.

"It sounded like an explosion," she recalled. "You see it on the news, but you never expect it to happen to you."

The strike also caused a power surge that damaged several electronics in the home. But despite the structural damage and the scare, Gormley said they feel fortunate.

"Never feared the storms, but now I do," she said. "All things considered — just replacing a roof and a few appliances — it’s the best outcome we could ask for."