Carl's house not hit by lightning

The Middletown Fire Department visited Pearl Street last evening in the midst of a lightning storm.

Reports of a strike at 20 Pearl Street, and a call by a neighbor who claimed to have seen flames sent the department to the house.

I spoke to Carl Bender, who said firefighters appeared at his door with crowbars in hand ready to pull down walls. The house has recently been restored and renovated, and Carl begged the firefighters not to apply force to the walls. Eventually the FD put a ladder up to check where the bolt was thought to have struck, and no damage was found.

This non-news report is modeled on coverage by local television news.