Two homes were destroyed and a third was badly damaged after a lightning strike on Montreal's North Shore during a severe thunderstorm that swept through southern Quebec Thursday afternoon.
Police say a bolt of lightning struck one home at around 4:15 p.m. and set a house on fire on Cerisiers Street in the off-island suburb of Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac.
"Everything is lost. Everything is burned," said Benoit Paquette as his family sifted through the debris of what was once their home.
A lightning strike burned a hole through their roof, and a fire ignited inside the house.
Paquette said he saw the flames from a distance as he was driving home. It wasn't until he got closer that he realized made the terrible realization.
"We said, 'There’s a house on fire… it was our home that was on fire," he said through tears.
Paquette said he lost most of his possessions, but is grateful his children weren't inside when the lightning struck.
High winds caused sparks from the fire to quickly spread to two neighbouring homes.
"I have never seen a fire caused by lightning destroying homes in my 22 years as a police officer," said Insp. Jean-Philippe Labbé with the Régie de Police du Lac des Deux-Montagnes.
Drone footage obtained by CTV News showed the aftermath of the intense storm on the residential street.
Two people were treated for smoke inhalation on site but did not need to be hospitalized. Nine residents were evacuated from their homes and have been taken in by the Red Cross and family or friends, he added.
"Everyone is fine. We're very happy about this," Labbé said.
"It was pretty difficult because when [firefighters] got there the fire was pretty intense. Many hours after getting there they were still fighting the fire."
Firefighters from four neighbouring municipalities helped battle the blaze and were still on-site as of 9 p.m.
With files from CTV News Montreal's Max Harrold, Stephane Giroux and Touria Izri
