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6 June 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A local ice cream shop and bakery struck by lightning on Monday has an estimated $60,000 in estimated damage, according to the Wichita Fire Department.
Frost Bake House and Creamery is closed on Mondays, so no one was inside when the lightning strike hit.
The damage is extensive, but the owner said customers and neighboring businesses are already reaching out to help.
As the severe thunderstorm rolled in over Wichita on Monday, the owner of College Hill Deli and Catering was talking to customers when suddenly…
“I saw the lightning hit the tree and told them it hit the building. They said, ‘No!’ I said, ‘I think it did,'” said College Hill Deli and Catering Owner Ali Yassine.
A scary moment, unknown at the time to the owner of Frost.
“I got a call from our security company that the alarm was triggered inside the building,” said Frost Bake House and Creamery Owner and Operator Jada Shiya.
Shiya rushed to the shop and found smoke filling the building.
“They believe lightning struck the roof and then came through and actually started a fire in the attic,” said Shiya.
The Wichita Fire Department said lightning strikes can make putting out the fire and clean-up difficult.
“You just never know the time frame it is going to take for somebody to even notice that a fire even happened,” said Wichita Fire Department Captain Kelly Zane.
“The air that surrounds a lightning strike can be as hot as 50,000 degrees, so we are talking hotter than the surface of the sun here, so if that strikes something, of course, it is going to catch on fire,” said KSN Chief Meteorologist Lisa Teachman.
The lightning strike at Frost comes just months after someone broke into the business and damaged a window.
But the owner isn’t letting these obstacles stop her.
“We are just going to open bigger and better and stronger,” said Shiya.
She said they will continue to put care and love into the business to make sure people can get their sweet fix once again.
Lightning strikes are unavoidable to buildings. Chief Meteorologist Teachman said you can install lightning rods on your home or business to help with how a strike impacts the structure.
She said if you hear thunder go indoors to avoid being struck by lightning.
Frost plans to reopen in six to eight weeks.