Baby monitor alerts Florida couple to lightning-sparked house fire that killed dog
TAMPA, Fla. – Baby monitors usually tell you when a baby needs help, but Tim and Macy Osman, were out with their 7-month-old son at a friend’s house earlier this month when they got a baby monitor alert that would change their lives. They rushed home to find smoke, flames and a devastating loss.
The backstory:
They had their 7-month-old son, Griffin with them, but that temperature was a red flag.
“We pulled up the camera, and we just saw smoke,” he said.
They rushed home as Macy called 911. Their two dogs, Gus and Gwen, were still inside the house, so Tim Osman went inside and brought them outside to safety.
Dig deeper:
“He established that it was the fan above our couch that sparked, fell down onto the couch and lit the couch on fire,” said Tim Osman. “He thinks he’s pretty positive that it was a lightning strike that caused the surge.”
On Thursday, Macy Osman laid flowers at a makeshift memorial in Gwen’s honor outside their front door.
“It detected heat. It detected humidity. It was a way higher number than our house is usually set at,” said Macy Osman.
As they work to rebuild their house, the Omans aren’t sure the space will make sense for them forever.
The Osman family is staying at a friend’s house at this time, and they are raising money to help with home rebuilding and pet care expenses for Gus’ recovery. They are planning a fundraiser at the Carrollwood Golf Course on August 18.
By the numbers:
That equaled about $113 million in damage.
To protect yourself, experts recommend whole-home surge protection or a certified lightning protection system.
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