Local Family Tries To Cope After Lightning Burns House To Ground - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

SELBYVILLE, Del. - A Selbyville family is left picking up the pieces after lightning burned their house to the ground during the weekend's storms. Two teenagers were home at the time and recounted the terrifying ordeal.

"There was like a loud boom and light went through the whole entire house," 14-year-old Davina Baine said.

The details are still fresh on these teenagers minds - Davina and Darren Baine were home alone, watching a movie when lightning struck their house. Both immediately felt something was wrong and went to check the living room. "I open up the sliding door and there was the fire there. It was big. I don't know if it was there for a while or if it just started, but it was big," Davina said.

The teens called 911 and were told to run from the house. "She takes off, I take off and try to get near the street," 12-year-old Darren said.

Soon after, fire crews were there. Their mother and her fiance not too far behind. "We pulled up and it was a nightmare. It was raining, still thundering and lightning, and the dogs and them - they were soaked and crying. It was horrific. There were 60 foot flames coming out of the roof. It was just insane," mother Danielle Baine said.

When firefighters put the blaze out, everything was lost. But they did recover one thing that means the world. "When their father passed away, the one thing that they took away that meant a lot to them was little sachet packets of their dad's ashes. Jim was able to recover a small packet of the ashes from Davina's room, and it meant so much to them to be able to have that part of their dad back," Danielle said.

Smitty McGee's restaurant in Selbyville is accepting donations for the family. You can drop off donations at 37234 Lighthouse Road  Selbyville, DE 19975. 

Davina is 14 and wears size 6 pants, medium size shirts and size 8 shoes.

Darren is 12 and wears size 10 or 12 pants, boys large or mens small shirts and size 5.5 shoes.

Danielle wears medium/large tops, size 14 pants and size 7.5 shoes.

Jim, owner of lost home and Danielle's fiance, wears 2XL shirts, size 38 pants and size 11.5 shoes.

The family has also opened up a fire account (Ell and Baine) at PNC bank.