A couple and their four young children were lucky to escape with their lives yesterday after a bolt of lightning destroyed their family home in Bantry, Co Cork.
Deirdre and Joe O'Connell left for work shortly after 8 a.m. yesterday and dropped their children Kelly, Emma and Brian off at school and the youngest, Alison, to pre-school.
Ms O'Connell, who is employed at a local travel agents, received a call from gardaí three hours later to say her house had been gutted by a bolt of lightning.
Emergency services from Bantry, Skibbereen and Schull rushed to the scene but the house was completely destroyed.
Ms O'Connell's brother, local Fianna Fail councillor Paul Kelly, said his sister was trying to keep a sense of perspective.
"You have to consider what could have happened if they had been at home in Old Barrack Road.
"But they have lost so much. All they have is the clothes on their back and they are trying to come to terms with that.
"But it is little things - Deirdre doesn't have a toothbrush and they are trying to think what to put on the kids tomorrow."
Mr Kelly said the O'Connells were extremely upset at the loss of personal items such as the video of their wedding and pictures of their children who range in age from 4 to 12.
He thanked the local fire brigade for their "Trojan work" in attempting to save his sister's house.
Mr Kelly said his faith in human nature is restored having witnessed the tremendous warmth and kindness extended to his sister and her family yesterday. "People have been ringing offering kids' clothes and shoes. They have also been inundated with offers of accommodation," Mr Kelly added.