The owner of this million-dollar home that burned after a lightning strike plans to rebuild on the same property. He said he will consider a sprinkler system in the new home.
WINFIELD, W.Va. — A Putnam County man and his family escaped death early Monday morning when their million-dollar Winfield home was apparently struck by lightning and burned to the ground.
Mihai Istrate, 50, woke up to the sound of a loud thunder boom Monday morning, followed by blaring smoke detectors. He was able to get his wife, seven-year-old son and three dogs safely out of the house, but not much else.
“I took my son out, because he was sleeping and his bedroom was filled with smoke, this kind of choking smoke,” Istrate said. “We tried to grab some pictures but my wife — she just got two albums, and the rest is gone. We regret this the most because those memories will never come back.”
Mihai Istrate owns European Flooring, a business which he ran from an office in the home. Wife Pam Istrate is a mortgage broker. Their 7.000-square-foot home featured custom floors, stairways and cabinets, and a two-car garage; Mihai estimates their home of 10 years was worth more than $1 million…
