Service has been restored to about 125 gas customers in Tillsonburg after lightning struck a tree and ruptured a gas line, causing a fire.
It happened at around 3 a.m. on Sunday, when an eyewitness took video of the scene on Kara Lane.
Fire crews worked quickly to put out the fire while police went door to door, evacuating more than 50 people from their homes.
Gas services were shut off for a total of 126 people in the area.
Emergency crews took extra steps after a house exploded in London last week, just 60 kilometres away.
In that case, a vehicle crashed into a home, damaging the gas line. Minutes later, the house exploded.
A Kitchener woman has been charged with impaired driving in that incident.
As of Sunday night, all residents in Tillsonburg were allowed back in their homes in Tillsonburg. By Monday, all but two residents have had their gas turned back on.
Gas officials say this weather event was rare and unpreventable.
"There's a possibility of lightning travelling down the tracer wire and sparking holes within the gas line itself," explains Acting Deputy Chief Tony Hietkamp.
"So again, they have to pinpoint the exact area where the gas is emanating from and then either cut it out and resection it or shut off gas to the whole area, and that's what they did as a precaution."
A Union Gas official says that gas lines are less likely than other utilities to be damaged because they're underground.
The company says public safety is always top priority, ensuring crews perform leave surveys and monitor and inspect large pipes regularly.
