A Pembroke couple thanked their lucky stars yesterday after their Uppington Crescent condo was struck by lighting which damaged the chimney and parts of the ceiling of a bedroom.

But no one got hurt as the couple, William and Bristol Davidson, and their nearest neighbours were not at home.

A neighbour's car was also damaged by falling debris. Mr. Davidson, who works as a claims adjuster for Argus Insurance, was called by a neighbour soon after the lighting struck at around 11.30 a.m.

The Bermuda Fire Service was on the scene within minutes but left after making sure the building had not caught fire.

The entire bedroom ceiling had to be removed as well, explained owner Rick de Silva. The Davidsons bought the condo a year ago. Mr. de Silva said that the couple, will be able to move back into their home in about a week. In the meantime they plan to move in with their in-laws.

"I'm glad we have insurance," Mrs. Davidson said when asked if she had been traumatised by the incident.

Mr. de Silva told The Royal Gazette that the lighting had probably entered through the electrical wiring and exited through the chimney area.

This particular strike, he said, was unusual. "This is the seventh lighting strike I've actually dealt with Generally we find them on the coastline, we don't usually find them inland so much."

He estimated reconstruction costs as "below $10,000". Mrs. Davidson couldn't say exactly how much damage had been done to the contents of the house, but said that a computer, television and a VCR were headed for the scrap heap.