Fire Shoots Into Air After Lightning Strikes Gas, Power Lines In Hardyston Township, N.J.

HARDYSTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A column of flames was shooting into the air along a Sussex County, New Jersey road Thursday evening, after lightning struck a gas main and live wires.

Lightning hit the 12-inch gas main and the underground wires on New Jersey Route 94 in Hardyston Township around 6 p.m. as storms passed through the area late Thursday, according to the township fire department. The scene is located near the Cava Winery.

The fire went on burning for hours because the township gas company took some time to arrive to turn off the gas, fire officials said. By 10:35 p.m., the fire was finally out.

Some residents in Hardyston and Hamburg lost power, officials said.

As of just before 10 p.m., JCP&L reported 75 customers without power in Hamburg and 253 in Hardyston.

Route 94 was shut down in both directions at Highway 23, Hardyston Township police said. Roads were not expected to reopen until sometime Friday morning.