CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A family in Centennial was cleaning up Friday after lightning struck and starting the house on fire.

“Of course, I feel bad about it. What can I say,” said homeowner Ray Wacter.

On Friday, Wacter looked at damage to his home. A blue tarp covered craters in his charred roof, but inside, there was no hiding the holes in his ceiling.

It started Thursday night when neighbors like CB Engleman heard a loud cracking noise. “A tremendous clap of thunder and a loud buzzing in the house,” said Engleman. Then Engelman smelled smoke and the former firefighter took action.

“I came in here and checked this one to make sure there wasn’t anybody in here,” said Engleman.

He also turned off the utilities and soon after, another neighbor caught video of flames shooting out of the roof.

Wacter`s wife was home when the lightning hit and escaped to get her husband who was down the street.

“She rolled down the window and said you need to get home right away,” said Wacter. And as Wacter drove up, he saw a lot of emergency vehicles.

Seeing the damage, neighbor Gina McConnel offered the couple a place to stay.

“They’re like family to us,” McConnel said. “It’s very important that you’re there for them when something like this happens or whenever.”

Wacter was busy working with a restoration company on Friday to get repairs started. “We’re just hoping that we can recover so it’s possible to get back in the house,” said Wacher.

Repairs could take up to two months.