Storm causes issues in north Ludington neighborhood

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — A brief thunderstorm caused issues for at least two Ludington homes in the same neighborhood Monday night and early Tuesday morning. Tom McKenna said he was sleeping when he was awoken by smoke alarms about 1 a.m. at his residence, 207 N. Harrison St. Just an hour earlier he was outside talking to Ludington Fire Chief Jerry Funk while the fire department was around the corner at a downed power line call at 106 E. Pere Marquette Street.

Funk said the two incidents were related. At McKenna’s house, a power surge caused a ground wire to short out at the water main, blowing a hole in a water pipe. The surge also created a small fire that was quickly extinguished.

The city’s Department of Public Works was called to shut off the water main while Consumers Energy shut off the house’s electricity.

Funk said the Harrison Street house had minor smoke damage.

Ludington Police Department also responded. Emergency crews cleared at 2:30 a.m.